FROM-THE- LIBRARY OF
TR1NITYCOLLEGE TORONTO
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ANGLICAN CATHOLICITY
VINDICATED AGAINST
ROMAN INNOVATIONS:
IN THE
ANSWER OF ISAAC CASAUBON
TO CARDINAL PERRON.
REPRINTED FROM THE TRANSLATION PUBLISHED BY AUTBORITY IX 161'J, WITH
AN INTRODUCTION, TABLE Of CONTENTS AND FULL INDEX;
PREPARED BY
W. R. WHITTINGHAM,
AND
HALL HARRISON.
TO WHICH IS PREFIXED
THE CONFESSION OF FAITH OF KINO JAMES I.
BALTIMORE:
TURNBULL BROTHERS.
NEW YORK:
D. APPLETON & CO.
1875.
til
2 8
INTRODUCTION.
THAT ISAAC CASAUBON,* a Huguenot layman, son of a
pastor who died in exile for his religion, came to be the
penman of the Church of England, happened on this wise.
Living in Geneva, from early years a devout communi
cant there, and son-in-law of Henry Stephens, the prince
of scholarly printers, he established by his published
writings and private correspondence such a reputation for
universal scholarship and extraordinary critical sagacity,
as induced the eminent French lawyer and historian, the
President de Thou, with other men of influence in Paris,
to bring their countryman back to France, at first as a
teacher in Protestant institutions of learning in the South
ern provinces, and three years afterward by appointment
of Henry IV., first as Professor and then as Royal Libra
rian, to residence in Paris. There, the royal apostate who
"thought the mass not to be refused when a crown was to
be had for taking it," used both personal persuasion and
the agency of influential and able men, to obtain for his
own recreancy the countenance of an imitation by a scholar
of so great a reputation as CASAUBON had attained. For
ten years he was worried and distraught by an almost un
ceasing series of assaults upon his religious constancy by
one after another with whom by royal command or at the
importunity of private friends (some, unhappily, sharers
in the royal versatility of faith), he was brought into con
ference on the points of difference.
His private diary, not many years ago first published
by Canon Russell, reveals what painful struggles these
proselyting efforts occasioned him, sensible as they made
him
a Born Feb. 18.
1559; died in Lon
don, July 12, 1014.
INTRODUCTION.
him of many of the weaknesses of the system in which he
had been brought up. In part he learned that lesson at
the outset when filling, in 1600, the honorable position of
umpire in the famous conference between Du Plessis Mor-
nay and Cardinal Perron. The assailant in that ill-man
aged and unfair dispute, himself a convert avowedly for a
living, from the Huguenot ranks, earned a Cardinal's hat
by discomfiture of his ill-matched adversary. His efforts
to grace his victory still further by the conquest of the
judges on the Huguenot side, succeeded in the case of
Canaye de Fresne, CASAUBON'S friend and patron. They
became the more frequent, busied and untiring; until on
the murder of his royal master, May 14, 1610, CASAUBON,
two of whose sons were seduced from his side by the arts
of those whose snares were compassing his own soul, sought
refuge in England, at the invitation of Bancroft, then
Archbishop of Canterbury, and in the company of Edward
Wotton, then returning from his temporary embassy to
Paris.
CASAUBON'S friends in the French Court were strong
enough to keep for him his places during a temporary
absence, and it was only for such that he took his leave.
But both his correspondence and still more fully and
clearly his diary, show that from the very outset his visit
to England was made in the indefinite hope of relief from
the distresses and anxieties of his false position as a Hu
guenot office-holder under the papistically counselled and
controlled French government by the Queen Pvegent.
That he found it to his heart's content, the same sources
of information amply prove. His introductions brought
him immediately into close and confidential communica
tion with the leading minds of the English Church, who
were then well able to appreciate his gifts and attainments,
and proportionably disposed to secure his co-operation in
the
INTRODUCTION.
the desperate struggle for the truth and intellectual free
dom against that worthy predecessor of Pius IX., the self-
styled "Vice-God," Paul V., and his gigantic champions,
Baronius and Bellarmine, with their scores of babbling
underlings.
On CASAUBON'S side, the contentment with what he
found in England was supreme. The uneasiness of the
Geneva religionist under pressure of " antiquity and con
sent" urged against him by the wondrous memory and
inexorable logic of Du Perron, his sense of insufficient mis
sion and of imperfect provision for his spiritual needs, and
the revolt of hie large mind from the narrow sectarianism
of Charenton and Geneva, were all relieved. He met with
scholaxs able as himself to distinguish genuine claims to
primitive antiquity from the spurious developments of post-
Carlovingian hierarchism. He witnessed ministerial work
and decent pomp of sacred service kept up in unbroken
continuity on the basis of a succession and prescription of
a thousand years' duration. He was welcomed in the pro
fession of a faith as broad as the Catholic Creeds, and to a
Communion in which the men who sat at Dort, shared
counsels, trusts, and honors with Andrewes, Overal and
Neale. With Andrewes, particularly, it was the happiness
of CASAUBON to make speedily an intimate acquaintance,
and they drew together as kindred souls.
His Diary gives many evidences that while CASAUBON
was engaged in preparing this Answer to Perron, he was
in almost daily communication with Andrewes, then Bishop
of Ely ; the points in controversy were talked over ; the
doctrines which CASAUBON'S wide reading had already
gathered out of the early fathers, were confirmed by An
drewes as the ground upon which the Church of England
would wish to rest her cause in the contest with Rome,
then so hotly waged by such disputants as Baronius,
Bellarmine and Du Perron.
Thus
VI
fc.fr
INTRODUCTION.
Thus it has happened that this short Latin Tract, being
composed by the first scholar and one of the most learned
theologians of his age, and revised, so to say, by Andrewes,
the light and ornament of the English Church, is really a
valuable summary of the points of difference between Eng
land and Kome. Among CASAUBON'S more voluminous
and important publications it has been to some degree
overlooked, and indeed the old English translation is so
rare that there is probably no copy in this country except
the one from which this reprint has been made.
Under these circumstances, and seeing that the con
troversy with Kome on the very points that CASAUBON
touches, is waxing warmer and warmer, it seemed worth
while to make accessible this admirable treatise, which
contains within the compass of a few pages of racy English
(interesting even from a literary point of view) a statement
of England's position as authoritative as any utterance can
be, save the ipsissima verba of the Prayer Book and Articles
themselves.
While the work was in the printer's hands, an elaborate
biography of CASAUBON, by the Rev. Mark Pattison,
Rector of Lincoln College, Oxford, appeared in England.
The distinguished author, who possesses a remarkable
power of presenting a graphic portraiture of the character
istics of an historical period and its leading men, is more
occupied with setting forth CASAUBON'S eminence as a
scholar and critic, than his merits as a theologian. Indeed
he seems scarcely to set a due value upon CASAUBON'S
labors in the field of ecclesiastical controversy. " It is im-
possible^to regret," says Mr. Pattison, "that CASAUBON, who
could have done work that no one else could, should have
been kept to writing pamphlets, which scores of others
could have written quite as well.* But it must not be
*This is hardly consistent with Mr. Pattison's own language a few pages
further on. where he tells us that "the early and constant bent of CASAUBON'S
supposed
INTRODUCTION.
supposed that lie shared this regret himself, or that he
was writing as the hired advocate of a cause in which he
was lukewarm. It is to him, not the cause of the king
and bishops in which he is fighting; it is the cause of the
Church of God — the cause of civil society against the
common enemy, the bishop of Rome and his emissaries.
Coming from France, he knew, better than the anglican
bishops, what that ultramontane yoke meant, against
which the english Church was struggling." (Page 349.)
In view of the pamphlet war which has been raging in
England for the last ten years, growing out of the so-called
Ritualistic development, and considering the intense in
terest in the Roman Catholic controversy, as proved by the
unprecedented circulation of Mr. Gladstone's remarkable
publications on "Vaticanism," it is certainly singular to
find Mr. Pattison writing as follows :
" The anti-papal controversy of James' reign is as obso
lete for our generation as any other theological squabble,
and the books in which it is consigned are equally for
gotten ; CASAUBON'S among the rest." ( Page 349.)
It is at least worth noting, that at the very time when
the Rector of Lincoln College was penning or printing
these words, this treatise of CASAUBON, so far from being
forgotten, was turned to by one in a distant American dio
cese, as worthy of reprint and circulation. The anti-papal
controversy is far from obsolete in the United States, and
the lapse of two hundred and sixty years has in nowise
detracted from the intrinsic value of a production which
so well combines learning with conciseness, and, in short,
is so decidedly ad rem. Few things are more satisfactory
mind had been towards theology. But what was commonly known by this
name, doctrinal or systematic, theology, as taught in the schools, lay entirely
outside his walk, Ilis reading had led him at once to the sources out of
which had been constructed that ' web of subtlety and spinosity,' (Bacon :
Advancement of Learning) the scholastic theology. He was in possession, «s
hardly any one else had been, of the key of ecclesiastical antiQuity ." (Page 355.)
to
INTRODUCTION.
to those who live, as, alas! we cannot avoid doing, in the
very thick of religious discussion, and nothing is more inter
esting to the student of historical theology, than to come
upon the disputes of the day vividly portrayed in some
treatise of a past age ; to find the would-be admirers of
doubtful points in the Koman Faith met and answered long
since by one who knew the papal theology well, and also
had an acquaintance with the writers of Christian antiquity
more thorough and extensive than many in these modern
times can pretend to. Mr. Pattison, however, does ample
justice to the importance of the controversy as it existed
in the reign of James :
" Those who are acquainted with the situation of affairs
at this period, are aware that this was no brawl of rival
divines. The catholic historian (Lingard), following the
catholic reporter, de la Broderie, draws a ludicrous picture
of James, withdrawing from the affairs of State and the
pleasures of the chase, shutting himself up with his doc
tors, and concocting an argument to prove the pope to be
anti-christ. Nothing that James did was done becomingly.
His pedantic vanity laid him open to the sarcasms of the
french Ambassador. At a later period he forfeited the
confidence of his subjects by a catholic policy, by the
Spanish negotiation, the french match, and the inadequate
support of his son-in-law and the Protestants of Germany.
But in 1611 he was heartily contending against the still
advancing tide of the catholic reaction. The form in
which this threatened Europe was indeed that of military
force, but it was also an invasion of opinion. The Jesuits
did not draw the sword in Germany until they had gained
a footing in the minds of men. The books and pamphlets
that were now disseminating were what made the thirty
years' war possible. When the enemy was successfully
availing himself of the power of the press, it was wise and
necessary
INTRODUCTION.
necessary that he should be met on the same ground. Nor
was James fighting for his own skin, nor even, as he
phrased it, for the rights of princes. The hopes of the
ultramontane party at this moment embraced no less than
the re-conquest of Christendom to the holy see; the exter
mination of heresy by fire and sword, as Scioppius had
boldly proclaimed in his Ecclesiasticus (1611). It was
no mere paper warfare. The powder-plot, which we try
to forget, or laugh at, was a recent fact ; the murder of
Henri IV. more recent still. The S. Bartholomew, the
Armada, and the cruelties of Alva in Flanders, were not
incidents of a legendary fore-time, but the exploits in
which a menacing and aggressive party gloried, and which
they hoped to repeat or out-do." (Pages 350, 351.)
Those who desire further information about CASAUBON
will be more than repaid by the perusal of Mr. Pattison's
valuable and interesting work, which graphically describes
the scholar himself and the literary society of Geneva,
Paris, and London, where his life of arduous study was
passed. We have room here only for the account of his
last moments : " Thoris (his physician) wished to attend
him as a friend, and refused his tendered fee. When
CASAUBON insisted he took it, saying that 'he could not
stand in the way of a patient's wish to exercise the virtue
of gratitude.' Nothing could be done, but to mitigate
his sufferings by the hot bath and bleeding. He sustained
the combat with death amid dreadful torments, borne with
that entire resignation to the divine will which might have
been expected from one whose life had been one prolonged
devotion. His one regret was, that he must leave his work
on Church history unfinished. His words latterly became
inaudible, but it could be perceived that he was holding
converse with that God, whom he had never forgotten for
a single hour of his life. He lingered thus for more than
a
IX
INTRODUCTION.
a fortnight. On Friday, July 12 (July 1, 0. S.), He re
ceived the eucharist at the hands of the bishop of Ely.
After the ceremony, he signified his wish to have the
' Nunc dimittis ' read aloud, and he accompanied the reader
with failing voice. He had his children brought to his
bedside, gave them his blessing, one by one, and strictly
charged them not to follow the example of . their older
brother, but to continue in the religion in which they had
been brought up. At 5 P. M. he ceased to breathe."
In the scarce treatise now reprinted will be found a speci
men of CASAUBON'S method of handling subjects of con
troversy which have not yet been forgotten, nor wholly
lost their interest even in the busy age in which we are
living. .
The publication of the Confession of King James I. along
with CASAUBON'S work was an after-thought. It vividly
illustrates the description which Mr. Pattison has given
of James's manner and method of meeting on the same
ground the enemy who was so successfully availing him
self of the power of the press. While it was indeed ' no
mere paper warfare,' since the Jesuits looked to nothing
less than the overthrow of the King of England, it is plain
that the part performed by the press in this warfare, was
carried on with a vigor and power seldom surpassed, even
by great masters of the English language in later times.
In both the reprints it has been thought best, for reasons
which need not be detailed at length, to retain the eccentric
spelling and punctuation of the originals.
CONFESSION OF FAITH
OF
KING JAMES I.
Tliis is reprinted from a rare book with the following
title : AN APOLOGIE FOE THE OATH of Allegiance :
First Set forth without a name, and now acknowledged
by the Author, the right High and Mightie Prince,
JAMES by the grace of GOD, King of Great Britain,
France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. To
gether, with a Premonition of his Maiesties to all most
mightie Monarches, Kings, free Princes and States of
Christendome. PSALM 2, Terse 10, Et nunc lieges
intelligite: crudirnini qui iudicatis terram. ROM. 14,
Terse 13. Non ergo amplius imiiccm iudiccmus :
Sed hoc indicate rnagis, neponatis offendiculumfratri,
vel scandalurn. IMPRINTED AT London by Robert
Backer, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Maiestie.
ANNO 1G09. Cum primlcgio Hegali.
CONFESSION OF KING JAMES I
AND now for the point of Heretike, I will neuer be
ashamed to render an account of my profession, and of
that hope that is in me as the Apostle prescribeth. I am
such a Catholike Christian, as beleeueth the three Creeds ;
that of the Apostles, that of the Councel of Nice, and that
of Athanasius; the two latter being Paraphrases to the
former : and I beleeue them in that sense as the ancient
Fathers and Councels that made them, did vnderstand
them. To which three Creeds all the Ministers of England
doe subscribe at their Ordination. And I also acknowl
edge for Orthodoxe al those other formes of Creeds that
either were deuised by Councels or particular Fathers,
against such particular heresies, as most raigned in their
times.
I reuerence and admit the foure first generall Councels,
as Catholike and Orthodoxe ; and the said foure generall
Councels are acknowledged by our Acts of Parliament,
and receiued for Orthodoxe by our Church.
As for the Fathers, I reuerence them as much, and
more than the lesuites doe, and as much as themselues
euer craued. For, whateuer the Fathers for the first foure
hundreth yeeres did with an vnanime consent agree vpon
to bee beleeued as a necessary point of saluation, I either
will beleeue it also, or at least, will be humbly silent ;
not taking vpon me to condemn the same : but for euery
priuate Fathers opinion, it binds not my conscience more
then JBcllarmins; euery one of the Fathers vsually contra
dicting
(B)
XIV
CONFESSION OF KING JAMES I.
a Lib 2. Cont.
rescouium. Cap.
bLib. I. de verb,
ei. c. 4.
aLnc. I. 28.
bibid ver. 48.
dieting others. I will therefore in that case follow S. a
Augustines rule in iudging of their opinions, as I finde
them agree with the Scriptures ; what I find agreeable
thereunto I will gladly imbrace ; what is otherwise, I will,
with their reuerence, reiect.
As for the Scriptures, no man doubteth, I will beleeue
them; but euen for the Apocrypha, I hold them in the
same account that the ancients did : they are still printed
and bound with our Bibles, and publikely read in our
Churches ; I reuerence them as the writings of holy and
good men : but since they are not found in the Canon, we
account them to be secundae lectionis, or ordinis, which is
Bellarmins owne distinction ; and therefore not sufficient
whereupon alone to ground any article of Faith, except it
be confirmed by some other place of Canonicall Scripture.
As for the /Saints departed, I honour their memory, and
in honour of them, doe wee in our Church obserue the
dayes of so many of them, as the Scripture doeth canon
ize for Saints ; but I am loath to beleeue all the tales of
the legended Saints.
But first, for the blessed Virgine MARIE, I yeeld her
that, which the Angell Gabriel pronounced of her, and
which in her Canticle shee prophecied of her selfe : that is,
that ashee is blessed amongst women, and bthat all genera
tions shal call her blessed. I reuerence her as the mother
of CHRIST, whom of our Sauiour tooke his flesh, and so
the mother of GOD, since the Diuinitie and Humanitie of
CHRIST are inseparable. And I freely confesse that she
is in glory, both aboue Angels and men ; her owne Sonne
that is both GOD and man, onely excepted. But I dare
not mock her and blaspheme against God, calling her not
only Diua but Dea, and praying to her to commaund and
controule her Sonne, who is her GOD and her Sauiour;
Nor yet can I thinke, that shee hath no other thing to doe
CONFESSION OF KING JAMES I.
in heauen, then to heare euery idle mans sute, and busie
herselfe in their errands, whiles requesting, whiles com
manding her Sonne, whiles comming downe to kisse, and
make loue with Priests, and whiles disputing, and brawl
ing with Deuils. In heauen she is in eternall glory and
joy, neuer to be interrupted with any worldly businesse,
and there I leaue her with her blessed Sonne our Sauiour
and hers in eternall felicity.
As for prayer to Saints, Christ (I am sure) hath com
manded vs to come all to him that are loaden with sinne,
and he will relieue vs ; and 8. Paul hath forbidden vs to
worship Angells ; or vse any such voluntary worship, that
hath a shew of humility, in that it spareth not the flesh.
But what warrant wee haue to haue recourse vnto these
Dij Penates, or Tutelares, these Courtiers of God, I know
not ; I remit that to these philosophicall neoterike Diuines.
It satisfieth me to pray to God through Christ, as I am
commanded, which I am sure must be the safest way ; and
I am sure the safest way is the best way in points of salua-
tion. But if the Romish Church hath coyned new Articles
of faith, neuer heard of in the first 500 yeeres after Christ,
I hope I shal neuer be condemned for an Heretike, for not
being a Nouellist. Such are the private Masses, where
the Priest plaieth the part both of the Priest and of the
people ; And such are the amputatio of the <yae halfe of the
Sacrament, fro the People ; The Transvbstatiation, Eleua-
tionfor adoration, and circumportation in procession of the
Sacrament; The works of svpererogation rightly named
Thesaurus Ecclesiae; 2 he Baptising of Bells, and a thou
sand other tricks: But aboue all, the worshipping of
Images. If my faith be weake in these, I confesse I had
rather beleeve too little then too much. And yet since I
beleeue as much as the /Scriptures doe warrant, the Creedes
doe perswade, and the ancient Councels decreed ; I may
well
XVI
CONFESSION OF KING JAMES I.
well be a Schismaiike from Home, but I am sure I am no
Hereiike.
For Reliques of Saints; If I had any such, that I were
assured were members of their bodies, I would honourably
bury them ; and not give them the reward of condemned
mens members, which are only ordained to be deprived of
buriall: But for worshipping either them or Images, I
must account it damnable Idolatry. I am no Iconomachus ;
I quarrell not the making of Images either for publike
decoration, or for mens private vses ; But that they should
be worshipped, be prayed to, or any holinesse attributed
vnto them, was neuer knowen of the Ancients : and the
Scriptures are so directly, vehemently, and punctually
against it, as I wonder what braine of man, or suggestion
of Sathan, durst offer it to Christians; and all must be
salued with nice philosophicall distinctions: As Idolvm
nihil est : And they worship, forsooth, the images of things
in being, and the Image of the true God. But the Scripture
forbiddeth to worship the Image of anything that God
created ; It was not a nihil then that God forbade onely
to be worshipped, neither was the brasen serpent, nor the
body of Moses a nihil ; and yet the one was destroyed,
and the other hidden, for eschewing of idolatry: yea, the
Image of GOD himselfe, is not onely expressly forbidden to
be worshipped, but euen to be made. The reason is giuen,
that no eye euer saw GOD ; and how can wee paint his
face, when Moses the man that euer was most familiar with
God, neuer saw but his backe parts? Surely since hee can
not be drawen to the viue, it is a thanklesse labour to marre
it with a false representation, which no Prince, nor scarce
any other man will be contented with in their owne pic
tures. Let them therefore that maintaine this doctrine,
answere it to Christ at the latter day, when he shall ac
cuse them of Idolatry ; And then I doubt, if he will be
payd
CONFESSION OF KING JAMES I.
payd with such nice sophisticall distinctions. But Christs
Crosse must haue a particular priuiledge, say they, and be
worshipped, ratione contactus. But first wee must know,
what kinde of touching of Christes body drew a vertue
from it; whether euery touching, or only touching by
faith. That euery touching of his body drew not vertue
from it, is more then manifest. When the woman in the
bloody flux touched him, she was healed for her faith;
But Peter then told him, that a crowd and throng of many
people then touched him, and yet none of them receiued
any benefit or vertue from him. Judas touched him many
and many a time, besides his last kisse ; so did the vil-
laines that buffeted and crucified him; and yet, I may
safely pronounce them accursed, that would bestow any
worship vpon their Reliques : yea, we cannot deny but the
land of Canaan itsel'fe, whereupon our Lord did dayly
tread, is so visibly accursed, being gouerned by faithlesse
Turkcs, full of innumerable sects of hereticall Christians,
and the very fertility thereof so farre degenerated into a
pitiful sterilitie, as he must be accursed that counteth it
blessed. Nay, when a certaine woman blessed the belly
that bare Christ, and the breasts that gaue him sucke;
Nay rather, saith he, Blessed are they that hcare the word
of God, and kecpe it. Except then they could first proue
that Christ had resolued to blesse that tree of the Crosse
whereupon, he was nailed, they can never proue that his
touching it, could giue it any vertue. And put the case it
had a vertue of doing of miracles, as Peters shadow had ;
yet doth it not follow, that it is lawfull to worship it,
which Peter would neuer accept of. Surely the Prophets
that in so many places curse those that worship Images,
that haue eyes and see not : that haue eares and heare
not ; would much more haue cursed them, that worship a
peece of a stick, that hath not so much as any resemblance
or representation of eyes, or eares.
As
xvni
* Jubilees, Indul
gences, satisfaction
for the dead, &c.
Lib. 2. de Purgat.
c. 7.
lohn 14.
aBellarm. Lib. 4.
de Rom. Poutif. c.
25.
• CONFESSION OF KING JAMES I.
As for Purgatory, and all the *trash depending thereupon,
it is not worth the talking of ; Bellarmine cannot finde
any ground for it in all the Scripture : onely I would
pray him to tell me ; If that fair greene meadow that is in
Purgatory, have a brooke running thorow it, that in case I
come there, I may have hawking upon it. But for me, I
am sure there is a heauen and a hell, premium et poena,
for the Elect and reprobate : How many other roomes
there be, I am not on God his Counsel. Multae sunt
mansiones in domo Patris mei, saith Christ, who is the true
Purgatory for our sinnes : But how many chambers, and
anti- chambers the Deuill hath, they can best tell that goe
to him ; But in case there were more places for souls to
goe to then we know of, yet let vs content vs with that,
which in his Word he hath reuealed vnto vs, and not in
quire further into his secrets. Heauen and hell are there
reuealed to be the eternall home of all mankind© : let vs
indeuour to winne the one, and eschew the other ; and
there is an ende.
Now in all this discourse, haue I yet left out the maine
Article of the Komish faith, and that is the head of the
Church, or Peters Primacie ; for who denieth this, denieth
fidem Catholicam, saith Bellarmine. That Bishops ought
to be in the Church, I euer maintained, as an Apostolike
institution, and so the ordinance of God contrary to the
Puritanes ; and likewise to a£cllarmine, who denieth that
Bishops have their iurisdiction from God, (But it is no
wonder he takes the Puritanes part, since Jesuits are
nothing but Puritane-Papists) And as I euei maintained
the state of Bishops, and the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchic for
order sake ; so was I euer an enemy to that confused
Anarchic, or paritie of the Puritanes, as well appeareth in
my BA2IAIKON Ai2PON. Heauen is governed by order, and
all the good Angels there ; nay, hell itselfe could not subsist
without
CONFESSION OF KING JAMES I.
without some order ; And the very deuils are diuided into
Legions, and have their chieftaines : how can any societie
then upon earth subsist without order and degrees ? And
therefore I cannot enough wonder, with what brasen face
this answerer could say, that I was a Puritane in Scotland,
and an enemy to Protestants, I that was persecuted by
Puritanes there, not from my birth onely, but euer since
foure moneths before my birth? I that in the yeere of God
84. erected Bishops, and depressed all their popular parities,
I then not being 18. yeeres of age ? I that in my said Booke
to my sonne, doe speake tenne times more bitterly of them,
nor of the Papists, hauing in my second edition thereof,
affixed a long Apologetike Preface, onely in odium Puri-
tanorum ; and I that for the space of sixe yeeres before my
comming into England, laboured nothing so much, as to
depresse their Paritie, and re-erect Bishops againe ; Nay,
if the dayly commentaries of my life and actions in Scotland
were written, as lulius Ccesars were, there would scarcely
a moneth passe in all my life, since my entring into the 13
yeere of my age, wherein some accident or other would not
conuince the Cardinall of a lye on this point : And surely
I give a faire commendation to the Puritanes in that place
in my booke, where I affirme, that I have found greater
honesty with the highland and border theeues, than with
that sort of people. But leauinghim tohisowne impudence,
I return to my purpose. Of Bishops and Church Hier
archies, I very well allow (as I said before) and likewise
of Rancks and degrees amongst Bishops. Patriarches I
know were in the time of the Primitiue Church , and I
likewise reuerence that Institution for order sake; And
amongst them was a contention for the first place : and for
myselfe, if that were yet the question, I would with all my
heart giue my consent, that the Bishop of Rome should
haue the first Seate ; I being a Western King, would goe
? with
Luk. 22. 25.
lohu 14. 20.
Matt. 18. IS.
I. Cor. 5. 4.
CONFESSION OF KING JAMES I.
with the Patriarch of the West. And for his temporall
Principality ouer the Signory of Rome, I doe not quarrell
it neither ; let him in God his Name be Primus Episcopus
inter omnes Episcopos, and Princeps Episcoporum ; so it be
no otherwise but as Peter was Princeps Apostolorum. But
as I wel allow of the Hierarchie of the Church for distinc
tion of orders (for so I vnderstand it) so I vtterly denie,
that there is any earthly Monarche thereof, whose word
must be a Law, and who cannot erre in his Sentence by an
infallibility of Spirit. Because earthly kingdoms must
haue earthly Monarches, it doth not follow, that the Church
must haue a visible Monarche too : for the world hath not
one earthly temporal Monarche. CHRIST is his Churches
Monarche, and the holy Ghost his Deputie. Reges gentium
dominantur eorum, vos autem non sic. CHRIST did not
promise before his ascension, to leave Peter with them to
direct and instruct them in all things ; but he promised to
send the holy Ghost-vnto them for that end. And as for
these two before cited places, whereby Bcllarmine maketh
the Pope to triumph over Kings ; I meane Pasce oues, and
Tibi dabo claues, the Cardinall knowes well enough, that
the samewordesof Tibi dabo, are in other places spoken by
Christ in the plurall number : And he likewise knowes,
what reason the Ancients doe giue why Christ bade Peter
pascere oucs : and also what a cloud of witnesses there is
both of Ancients, and euen of late Popish writers; yea
diners Cardinals, that doe all agree, that both these
speaches vsed to Peter, were meant to all the Apostles,
represented in his Person : Otherwise how could Paul di
rect the Church of Corinth to excommunicate the incestuous
person cum Spiritu suo, whereas he should then haue said
cum Spiritu Petri? And how could all the Apostles
otherwise haue used all their censures only in Christ's
Name, and neuer a word of his Vicar ? Peter, we reade,
did
CONFESSION OF KING JAMES I.
did in all the Apostles meetings sit amongst them as one
of their number : And when chosen men were sent to
Antiochia from that Apostolike Councel at Jerusalem, Act.
15. The text saith, It seemed good to the Apostles and
Elders with the whole Church, to send chosen men ; but no
mention made of the head thereof, and so in their Letters
no mention is made of Peter, but only of the Apostles,
elders, and brethren. And it is a wonder why Paul re-
buketh the Church of Corinth, for making exception of
Persons ; for that some followed Peter, some Apollos, and
so forth, if Peter was their visible Head : for then those
that followed not Peter, renounced the Catholike faith. But
it appeareth well, that Paul knew little of our new doc
trine, since he handleth Peter so rudely, as he not onely
compareth, but preferreth himselfe unto him. But our
Cardinall proues Peters superiority by Pauls going to
visite him. Indeede Paul saith, he went to lerusalem to
visite Peter and conferre with him, but he should haue
added to kisse his feete. To conclude then, the trueth is,
that Peter was both in age, and in the time of Christes
calling him, one of the first of the Apostles ; In order, the
principall of the first twelue, and one of the three whomCVms^
for order sake, preferred to all the rest. And no further
did the Bishop of Rome claime for three hundreth yeeres
after Christ: Subiect they were to the generall Counsels,
and euen but of late did the Councell of Constance depose
three Popes and set up the fourth. And vntil Phocas
dayes that murthered his master, were they subiect to
Emperours. But how they are now come to be Christs
Vicars, nay, Gods on earth, triple- Crowned, Kings of heauen,
earth and hell, ludges of all the World, and none to ludge
them ; Heads of the faith, Absolute deciders of all contro-
uersies, by the infallibilitie of their Spirit, hauing all power
both Spirituall and Temporal in their hands, the high
Bishops,
XXI
I. Cor 3. 4.
[1. 12.]
Galat. 2.
Gal. 1. 18.
XXII
CONFESSION OF KING JAMES I.
Bishops, Monarches of the whole earth; Superior to all Em-
perours and Kings;* yea, Supreme Vice-Gods, who whether
* With the trenchant language of King James I. on the claims of the Popes
in his day, compare the words of Mr. Gladstone on those same claims as af
fected by the Vatican Council. They are quoted from " The Vatican Decrees
in their hearing on Civil Allegiance ," a production which friends and foes alike
must admit to be one of the most remarkable pamphlets ever published :-"The
Home of the Middle Ages claimed universal monarchy. The Modern Church of
Rome has abandoned nothing, retracted nothing. Is'thisall? Far from it. By
condemning (as will be seen) those who, like Bishop Doyle in 1826, charge the
Mediaeval Popes with aggression, she unconditionally. eVeu if covertly, main
tains what the Mediaeval Popes maintained. But even this is not.the worst.
The worst by far is that whereas in the national Churches and communities of
the Middle Ages there was a brisk, vigorous, aud constant opposition to those
outrageous claims— an opposition which stoutly asserted its own orthodoxy,
which always caused itself to be respected, aud which even sometimes gained
the upper hand, now, in this nineteenth century of ours, and while it is
growing old, this same opposition has been out of Court, and judicially ex
tinguished within the Papal Church, by the recent decrees of the Vatican.
My propositions, then, .... are these :
1. That 'Rome has substituted for the proud boast of Semper- eadem a
policy of violence and change in faith.'
2. That she has refurbished aud paraded anew every rusty tool she was
fondly thought to have disused.
3. That no one can now become her convert without renouncing his moral
and mental freedom, and placing his civil loyalty ami duty at the mercy of
another.
4. That she (' Rome ') has equally repudiated Modern thought and Ancient
history."
In view of all this, one cannot help saying to certain (whose good motives
we do not question) in our own Church, Quorsum haec'f Is this the time to
be talking of the ' so-called ' Reformation, and to run the risk of compromis
ing truth and the interest of pure Christianity by minimising the essential
differences between England and Rome, so stoutly maintained by the old
Anglican Divines ?
As we write, the Address of Bishop KERFOOT, of Pittsburgh, to his conven
tion, comes to hand, from which we are glad to add the following earnest
and weighty sentences in support of these views :
"The struggle there (among the Old Catholics in Germany) is to break off
chains from intellect, conscience, and freedom, civil and religious.
The lesson to us here, is to see to it in time, that the like chains be not
wrought craftily, and fastened on us and our children. No wise man will
overlook the peril. American forges may be worked by foreign muscle and
skill, in this sense as in others; and in this age and land of ours, even faster
than in other and older ones, the manacles supposed to be discarded aud
renounced, might be reproduced and locked, before Americans wake up.
The conference in Bonn, was the meeting of godly, intelligent men, not
under Romish, Tridentine thraldom, but true to primitive Catholic order
and creeds, to discover by vigilant, kindly conferences, how far the churches
we belonged to, could agVee in utterances- on the great truths and principles
of the gospel ; and especially on those which Romanism had corrupted. Our
venerable leader there is by un'versal concession recognized as one of the
ablest, if not the very ablest, of the theologians of our day. The "agree
ments" (as was the phrase used) covered a width of doctrinal ground,
greater than the most sanguine had hoped for. The enquiry was forgenuine,
intelligent agreement,— for ground fairly and really common— between the
Old Catholics, the Greeks, and the Anglican churchmen of England and of
America. Staunch Lutherans, too, were there, and in hearty sympathy;
but with generous wisdom, they left, for the most part, the questions to the
test of the responses made in behalf of the old historic churches. The ques
tions bore on most of the points where Rome has corrupted the Gospel in
they
CONFESSION OF KING JAMES I.
XX111
they wil or not, cannot erre : how they are now come, I say,
to this top of greatnesse, I know not : but sure I am, we
that are Kings, haue greatest need to look vnto it. As for
me, Paul and Peter I know ; but these men I know not :
and yet to doubt of this, is to deny the Catholike faith;
nay, the world it selfe must be turned up-side down, and
the order of nature inuerted, making the left hand to haue
the place before the right ; and the last named to be first
in honour, that this Primacy may be maintained.
Thvs haue I now made a free confession of my Faith,
and, I hope I haue fully cleared myself from being an
Apostate : and as farre from being a heretilce, as he that
beleeueth the Scriptvres, and the three Creeds, and ac-
knowledgeth the foure first generall Covncels may be. If
I be loath to beleeue too much, especially nouelties ; men
of greater knowledge may well pitie my weaknesse, bnt I
am sure none will condemn me for an Herctike, saue such
as make the Pope their God ; and think him such a speak
ing Scripture as they can define heresie no otherwise, but
to be whatsoeuer opinion that is maintained against the
Popes definition of faith ; and I will sincerely promise,
that wheneuer any point of the religion I preferre shall be
proued to be new, and not Ancient, Catholike, and Apos-
tolike, I mean for matter of Faith, I will as soon renounce
it ; closing vp this head with the maxime of Vincentius
spite of the protests of real Catholic truth. The answers prove that, but for
Romanism, with its false dogmas and lawless barriers, the hope of intercom
munion among the old historic churches might become practicable. And
it was most impressive and most cheering to us Anglican churchmen,
American and English alike, to see the principles and main results of our
Reformation, as exhibited and preserved for more thau three centuries in
our Prayer Book, thoroughly reasserted by able men now, of other races and
antecedent*, coming up, as these men did, to the search for the truth, on
principles at once free and conservative, scriptural, primitive and historic.
Such principles ( one saw ) could leave no standing ground for the revolu
tionists who would now still further expurgate our Prayer Book; nor aijy
excuse for the men of opposite tendencies who crave to re-introduce among
us some of those rery corruptions in doctrine, discipline or worship, from
which' I heard those wise and good men say BO earnestly that they thanked
God that they had escaped."
Lerinensis,
Bellar. de Rom-.
Pout. Lib. I. c. 27.
Libello aduersus
hacreses.
CONFESSION OF KING JAMES I.
Lerinensis, that I will neuer refuse to imbrace any opinion
in Diuinitie necessarie to saluation, which the whole
Catholike Chvrch, with an vnanime consent, have con
stantly taught, and beleeued, euen from the Apostles
dayes, for the space of many ages thereafter, without in
terruption. * * *
END.
THE
A N S VV E R E
OF MASTER
ISAAC CASAVBON
to the Epistle
OF THE MOST ILLVSTRIOVS
and most reuerend Cardinall PERON.
Translated out of Latin into English.
May 18, 1612.
LONDON:
Printed by FELIX KYNGSTON, for
William Aspley. 1612.
BALTIMORE :
REPKINTED BY CHARLES HARVEY & Co.
Corner South and German Sts.
1875.
(c)
TO SIR THOMAS ED
MONDS HIS MAJESTIES
Legier in France.
ISAAC CASAVBON wisheth
Health.
HONOURABLE Sir, the importunate curi-
ositie of men hath at length overcome my
purpose, which would not suffer neither
this answere, nor the Epistle that gaue the
occasion of it to keepe prinate with other
scroles in the desks of the owners. As for
me, how unwilling I haue been from the
beginning and euer since to haue it pub
lished, both you well know, and others of
worth can witnesse, who haue earnestly requested that of me, yet
did not preuaile. But now seeing so great a man forced to yeeld
vnto other mens desire, let none marueile that I also haue done the
same. And although this Answere was not written to the end that it
should be published ; yet if they into whose hands ii shall come, be
equall and moderatly minded, not seruile to affections, there will
prone no cause (I trust) that I should repent of publishing it, or they
of reading it. It shall be knowne to honest men, and such as be de
sirous of publike agreement amongst Christian people, (as I haue ob-
senied the most to be. on both sides, that are good men, and intelli
gent in matters Divine) that they haue his excellent Maiestie of
GREAT BKTTATNK, ioyning with them in their most holie wish, yea,
with most earnest desire. Who although he haue iust cause to be
perswaded that his words, his writings, and his actions heretofbre
haue made manifest to the whole Christian world the excellencie of
his
IV
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORIE.
his minde in this behalfe ; yet he thought good not to despise this oc
casion happened also of declaring the same. Who is there so void :
of al sense of piety, which doth not embrace, and admire this affec
tion in so mightie a Prince ? Who so sauage and barbarous asother-
waies to interpret it, or to make doubt whether this auswere of the
King did proceed from a vehement dasire of concord ? Religious
and wise men shall further vnderstand what manner of peace, and
concord in the Church this most pious Prince wisheth : and vpon
what termes and conditions his Maiestie is readie to make couenant.
For this answere is tempered with such moderation, that the zealous
endeuour by all good meanes to make vp peace, appeareth not to be
inferiour to the zealous endeuour of defending the truth. And this
surely is the Kings opinion, this his firme sentence, that it is but .aine
for such men to thinke, or talke of the peace of the Church, which
are not afraid to separate and disioyne this celestiall chariot, which
ought in no wise to be discoupled. That in vaine therefore doe they
vaunt of the truth of their opinion, who maliciously interpreting all
lie sayings of other men, and deducting thence such absurd con
sequences as they list, eiuing bad example of such pi ruerse Indus
trie, doe proue thernselues destitute of charitie, which is the mother of
vnitie. That in vaine also doe they vsurpe the golden names of
Charitie and Vnitie, which are not willing to admit of Truth, which
is the foundation of pietie that is sincere. It was of old excellently
spoken by S. Hilarie: Beautiful is the name of peace (saith he) and
faire is the opinion of vnitie ; bnt who may doubt, that that only is the
peace of the Church, which in the peace of Christ? The peace of
Christ, which alone is taught by this most holy father to bee approued
off in the Church, it is that, by which the doctrine of Christ, which
he taught his Apostles, and his Apostles taught, the primiliue Church,
doth remaine sa'e defenced, and un-liaken. Let those to whom it
belongeth, who challenge the principal! places in the Church, offer
vnto his Maiestie such a peace, and straightway the discord is ended.
Let them ingeniously and faithfully separate humane matters from
diuine, things superstitious from things religious, nouelties, and late-
borne deuices from such matters as be truly ancient, lastly, the noth
ing or lesse neeessarie, from the necessary : and I say againe, and I
crie aloud, that all may heare, on his Maiesties part, and for the
Church of England, the discord is at an end. Now, to come vnto so
great a benefit, there lieth but one Kings streete, as it were, which
from the entrance of the Church hath been beaten by our ancestors,
namely
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORIE.
namely the free celebration of a General Conncell : wherein the
complaints of all Nations may be heard, wherein controuersies may
be determined, and peace for the time ensuing, by Gods mercie bee
established. For the rooting of bad opinions out of mens mindes,
and for the reconciliation of nations diuided by dissention, the
Church in all ages knew no other course but this, nor vsed other but
this; they vsed not violence nor armes. But seeing by reason of the
generall sinnes of vs all, there appears no hope of a Generall Coun-
cell, yet it would be some ease of this euill, if the great libertie, or
rather unbridled licence of daily writing and publishing bookes of
Divinitie, were by seuere lawes on both sides restrained. For now
what hope can remaine, when throughout all Europe euery where,
euer nowand then, new writers come abroad, such as be readie to
powre oyle into the fire, rather then by casting on water tn ex
tinguish the flame. Greyorie Nazianzen, that admirable Diuine,
could not endure in the men of his time, the curiositie in disputing
of diuine matters: and in diners places of his writings hee affirm es
that the only cause almost of the euils which that age suffered, not
unlike to ours now adaies, was this: because men, void of Gods
spirit, commonly and promiscuously did dispute of spiritual! things,
and conuert Theologie into techno'ogy, that is, make no other use of
Diuinity but as a matter of learned, or artificial! discourse, as they
talke of other arts and sciences out of humane reason. From this
licence, which now almost every where beareth sway, rise so many
new tearmes, and such diuersitie of formes of speech, and sentences
which daily more and more breed dissention in the Church of God.
Away then with this libertie of prophecying, which is so pleasing
vnto some of these times, if they vnderstand thereby a licence of
broaching new deuices, and departing from the doctrine which hath
been receiued by consent of all men in the ages of the primitiue
Church. What should I tell here of those unsauourie, and unletter
ed writers, which are scarcely perfit in the first elements of Chris
tian religion, which daily come foorth of those places especially,
where, without any difference made of good or euill demeanours,
without respect of knowledge or ignorance, to the hurt of the com
mon good, rewards are propounded, vnto any one that being growne
impudent can set out a booke against the adnerse part, though it be
full of rage, and emptie of all learning. But what good can be
hoped for from such, as make tl.e knowledge of diuinitie a trade of
liuing, a helpe or way to get money ? whom neither the glorie of God
doth
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORIE.
doth moue to write, nor the lone of truth, nor the edification of the
Church, much lesse the desire of godly and holie peace : but reward
only, and base hire, or the tickling of vaine glorie? * * * [A couple
of pages of personal rebuke of one Pellttier, a scribbler of this kind,
whom the President <Je Tlwu had advised Casaubon to gibbet, are
here omitted, as not pertaining to the ends of this reprint.]
* * * You see (honourable Sir) what kinde of Diuines spring of
late, which like to Mushroms grow great in one night, whom there
fore the Greek, Diuine wittily tearmeth sowne diuines (a-a/>-iri<f fieo-
/6-/m«;) and worthilie debarreth from the handling of sacred things.
But I return e to this Answere, which hairing found published cor
ruptly in the parts beyond sea, I receiued it, and corrected it. And
this I send to you for a testimonie of my loue and ser-
uice, which I know will be welcome to
you. Farewell. London,
April 10. MDCXII.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
Occasion of the Epistle • 1
Perron V place in Kim: James's estimation 2
King James's aim to he a true f><fender of the Faith, ~, 8
The true Catholic Christian 4
7'htnin on true Catholicity. 5
Observation l.v Communion with the Church 5
Unity of the Catholic Church 5,6
Unity not maintainable hy sacrifice of Truth. . . 7
Primitive Catholicity, 8
Changes from primitive Unity in later times,
Members of the Catholic Church now disunited B
Modern private Churches. , 10
Tests of true Catholicity, ..'..' 10
Church of England Catholic, , 11
Roman teachings not Catholic, , 11
Roman tyrannies compel separation. 12
Observation 2. Things to he believed, other than those necessary to salvation,- . . 13
Roman additions to primitive faith and practice, 13
Auricular confession not primitive 18
Secrecy of confession a Roman innovation 18, 14
Distinctions of meats made of obligation, 14
Clerical celibacy, 14
Ascetic practices and vicarious penances 1-1
Observation 3. Degrees of necessity, as to faith and practice, 15
Limitation of absolute necessity the safeguard of Christian peace and liberty, . . 15
Human institutions changeable. l(i
Infant Baptism ordinarily necessary Iti
Lay Baptism, though not lawful, not disallowed 17
St. Augustine's opinion about nnbaptised infants harsh and extreme, 17
Infant Communion, 17
Marriage, why necessary, and for whom, 18
Vows of Chastity 18, 19
Development of counsels of perfection into precepts of obligation 19
CONTENTS.
PAGE
Primitive Catholic faith and discipline better preserved by the Church in England than
by Home 19
Observation 4. The most flourishing Age of the Church the best pattern, . . . 19, 20
The Vinceutian Rule the true one, 20
The four first General Councils received by the Church of England, 20
The first three centuries equal to the fourth, and purer, 20, 21
Fathers of the lourth and fifth centuries to be used under caution, that Apostolic origin
must be traceable for things to be shown, . 21
ObserratAon 5. Consent of the Fathers to be taken, 1, of the agreement of the generality,
2, of their testimony to prevalent faith or practice, . .... 21, 22
Authority of Scripture alone can establish necessity of faith, 22
The Fathers claim deference only for proof from Scripture, . . . . . . . 22
Instances of alleged departure from the Catholic Church in the English Liturgy, . . 23
Instance 1. The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, 23, 24
In mysteries, the manner hmc no matter of faith, ....;.... 24
The Church of England believes her Louu without inquiring into that which she reads not, 24
Transubgtantiation an unallowable opinion 25
Bishop Andrewes quoted, , 25
Instance 2. Sacrifice in the Christian Church, 26
Private Masses and Masses for souls in Purgatory, . . 26, 27
Inxlanct 3. Prayer for the Dead, 27
That of the Ancient Church not condemned, . , 27
Given up, as without precept of Christ, or proof from Apostolic times, and fraught with
ill results, 27, 28
Instance 4. Invocation of Saints, 28
Supersedes mediation of Christ, and multiplies superstitions, 28,29
' Hours ' and ' Psalter ' ' of our Lady.1 29
Development of superstitious invocations and vows, 29
Inter-communion compatible with liberty of opinion .30,31
Un-catholic abuses in the Roman Liturgy, 31
1. The use of an unknown tongue, 31
Neglect and even prohibition of Scripture, 31, 32
2. Diminution of the Holy Communion, by withholding the cup, 32
3. Private Masses, 32
4. Abuse and adoration of Images and Relics, 32, 33
Multitudinous Roman innovations in doctrine and practice, 33
Papal usurpations, . 33-35
THE ANSVVERE OF
Mr. ISAAC CASAVBON "TO THE
Epistle of the most illustrious, and most
reverend Cardinall PERON.
~~^^a !Bf~ ^ST illustrious, and most reucreud
j^L /B Lord, I haue learned (as I thinke) by
WlL / I vse, and experience, that there is no
I ^A / euill so great, out of which, or by occa-
Wa / sion whereof some good may not arise.
wk / And as it is an vsuall speech that
^»/ honey breedeth gall; so it may bee
1 W^ said not vnfitly, that somtimes out
-^^^— • -— ^^^^- of pure gall commeth pure honey.
Not to sceke any further proofe of this, the lewd book of that de-
bosht cauiller, which gaue me first occasion by his excellent j
Maiesties commaund, of writing to your illustrious Honour, it was
pure gall, and that most virulent. But both your letters, which
vpon that occasion you sent me, seasoned with singular courtesie,
humanitie and prudence, witnessing the faire ingenuitie of the au
thor, were sweeter to me then any honey. Wherefore I was not
afraid to shew them vuto his Maiestie, and his Maiestie, although
he approued not of all that was in them, (for that could not be) yet
hee refused not, but was willing to reade them both. It delighted
him very much, that yet he knew one Diuine of your side, a man
of chiefe place, of honorable estimation, and excellent learning,
which handling the controuersies of these times, appeared to be of
a moderate, and quiet disposition. For, with what spirit the most
are led, which now adaies set out bookes of this argument, there
needs
THE ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE
needs no more sufficient declaration then out of those writers which
hitherto haue oppugned his Maiesties Apologie. All of them (if
you except one or two) filling their vnhappie leaues with lies, re-
proches, and foule language. But especially the words in your
last letters did delight his Maiestie, whose minde is enflamed with
the zeale of sincere pietie, whereby you seemed to put him in hope
that this friendty communication concerning matters of religion was
like not to prooue fruitlesse. Which thing as it pleased the King
marueilously, who is readie vpon this condition to vndergoe any
paines, so, if there remaine no hope hereof; neither is there any
iust cause why his Maiestie, or your Honour should trouble your
selues. Surely I hope, if your Worthinesse will take serious care
of it, that with the helpe of almightie God, you may effect, by the
authoritie which you have amongst your owne, and the report of
learning, and wit amongst all, that by these mutual writings, some
good profit may redownd to ye Church of lesus Christ. As for his
most excellent Maiestie of Great Britaine, in whose Court I haue
now liued a whole yeere and more, I dare promise you, and with
all manner of asseueration confirme, that he is so affected, and that
the course of his whole life hath bin so ordered, that all men may
easily vnderstand there is nothing dearer to him then the carefull
endeuour for religion. Neither priuate businesse, nor the publike
cares of his kingdome doe vsually so affect his Maiestie, as a kinde
of vnmeasurable desire by all meanes to promote religion, and
(which consideration most beseemes so great a King) an exceeding
affection by all right and honest meanes to procure peace amongst
the dissenting members of the Church. And this care so fitting a
Christian Prince, the most pious King hath not confined within
the bounds of his owne kingdome, though very large, but remem-
bring that he is stiled the Defendour of the faith, he hath thought
good, not out of any curiositie, but a vehemencie of zeale to extend
it beyond the limites of his owne little world : that his Maiesties
wisedorne and authoritie might be beneficiall also to the Churches
of other Countries, if occasion were offered : and that daily it might
be more apparant in the sight of God, and men, that his chiefecare
is the preservation of Christian religion. Of late therefore, and
about the time when I shewed you his last letters, his Maiestie
gaue this great experiment of this his deuout minde: which, as it
is most worthilie approued, and commended here of all good and
godly men, so, I hope, most illustrions Cardinal!, that the know
ledge
OF CARDINAL!, I'ERON.
ledge of it will be delightfull to you. When the right Honourable
and most reuerend Prelate, the Lord Archbishop of Canterburie
his Grace, by letters certified his Maiestie, that there came vnto his
hands a booke brought out of some part of Germanic, or the Low
Countries, containing doctrine concrning the nature of God, which
was new, pernerse, and in some points repugnant to the faith of
of the Catholike Church ; and withall desired his Maiestie that for
the repressing of this mischiefe, which was lately sprung vp, hee
would shew foorth the zeale of the Defendour of the faith, and in
tercede with the Magistrates of that place where the author lined,
desiring of them not to suffer so prodigious doctrine to bee brought
into their Churches, and Vniuersities, and that the inuentor of this
prophane noueltie might not passe vnpunished : the King, as he
came out of coach, after a tedious hunting, as soone as hee had re-
ceiued the letters, and the booke, noted, and markt in sundrie
places by that most vigilant Prelate, without any delay thought it
a businesse worthie to be taken notice of. And although at that
time his bodie was faint with exercise, and fasting, yet what he
had begun, he went through at once, as it were with one continu
ance and heate of endeuour : neither could hee bee entreated by
the Nobilitie which stood about him to have any respect of him-
selfe, vntil after a good long consideration of the whole matter,
with the right reuerend Bishop of Lichfield and others of the
Clergie, and a perfect vnderstanding thereof, hee most accuratly
discharged, as much as appertained to him, and as piety command
ed. The booke was condemned, and it was determined that all
the copies of it should be burnt in London, and in both the Vniuer
sities. AVhich afterwards was performed. Letters were immedi
ately dispatched (the King himself dictating) vnto his Maiesties
Legier there lying, to testifie what was the iudgement of the King,
and the Church of England concerning this new doctrine. With
all, order was giuen to acquaint the Magistrates with the matter.
Let them looke to it, to whom the care of removing that euill doth
belong, what account of their delay they can make vnto the immor-
tall God, if (which we hope cannot come to passe) neither of their
owne accord, nor after so notable example, they vndergoe the pa
tronage of the truth with lesse zeale and endeuour then they
ought. His Maiestie at the first receiuing of the newes was so
mooved, that hee thought hee should commit a grieuous offence, if
hee gaue any indulgence to his bodie, before he had fully per
formed
THE ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE
formed this office of pietie. I doubt not (most illustrious Cardi-
nall) but yon will greatly approue of, and praise this deed. I haue
made relation to you of what was done, not to the intent I might
commend his Maiestie vntoyou,but to let you vnderstand how
fast he holdeth the ancient faith, and how stout and earnest a De-
fendour he is of the opinions of the true Catholike Church, whom
notwithstanding most of your Catholikes will not haue to bee ac
counted and called a Catholike, yea many, not a Christian. His
Maiestie at the first thought the strife about those names not to be
materiall, whilest he held that which was meant by them, which
his Maiestie desires to doe, and fully trusts in the mercie of God he
doth. But because the common sort of men doe thus interpret,
that to be depriued of such names, is all one as to bee depriued of
the things vnderstood by those names : therefore hee doth not thinke
it wisedome to take no notice of this wrong. As concerning the
name of Christian, there is no strife, no controuersie betwixt you
and him. For neither of your Epistles doth deny this title to be
due vnto him. The question is then concerning the title of Catho
like. For after that, according vnto your excellent eloquence, in
your first Epistle you had signified that you acknowledged in the
King of Great Britaine the perfect and absolute Idea of the great
est Prince ; in the end, you put this exception, if vnto the other
gifts of his minde the glorious name of Catholike might bee added :
and when, by his Maiesties commandement, it was answered, that
that title could not be denied to him, which acknowledged the three
Creeds of the Church Catholike, and the foure first generall Coun-
cels : and which beleeued all things that were beleeued as necessarie |
to salvation in the foure first ages : with this answere in your last ;
accurate and subtile letters you appeared not to be so well satisfied.
Those letters perswade yourselfe that they were not read hastily, '
and cursorily, for he read them through, and examined the waight j
of your reasons with wonderfull equitie, and gentlenes of minde.
But, whereas, after the reading of your answere, hee departeth not
from his former opinion, and yet neuerthelesse, by the helpe of
Gods grace, trusteth he is a true Catholike, his Maiestie would
have you know what reasons he hath for this resolution. Where
fore, most illustrious Cardinall, receiue this short answere to your
last letters, which receiuing from his Maiesties owne mouth, I was
commanded to comprise in words, and to send vnto you. I will
not now request of you, that in the reading of these you would vse
such
OF CARDINALL PERON.
such equitie, as hee did in the reading of yours. I know full well
your excellent wisedome and moderation worthie of all praise.
The whole disputation in your last letters consisteth of two parts.
In the former part are brought fiue reasons which do illustrate and
shew the acception of this thesis, in what sense you would haue
it taken. This thesis: Catholici appellatio &c. The name of Ca
tholike can be denied to none which admits of the three, namely, the
Apostles, the Nicene, and the Athanasian Creeds: and of the foure
first generall Councels, the Nicene, tJw Constantinopolitane, the Ephe-
sine, and that of Chakedon : lastly, which beleeues all those things that
were thought necessarie to be beleeued to valuation in the -first foure
ages. This thesis, in the Kings answere, hath the place of the maior
proposition. The second part of your disputation bringeth in
foure instances against the hypothesis, or assumption.
THE FIRST OBSERVATION.
The name of Catlwlike doth not simply signifie faith, but also a com
munion with the Catholike Church. Therefore tlie ancients would not
liaue them called Catholikes which departed from the communion of
the Church, albeit they retained tlie same faith. For they said, there
was but one Church Catholike, out of which a man might haue the
faith and Sacraments ; but saluation lie could not have. To this pur
pose you bring many things out of S. Augustine.
His MAJESTIES ANSWERS.
To beleeue the Catholike Church, and to beleeue the communion
of Saints, are set downe in the Apostles Creed distinctly, as two
diuers things. And the former of these two articles seemes to be
inserted especially, to the end that a difference might bee made be
twixt the Jewish Synagogue, and the Christian Church. Which
was not to bee confined within the bounds of one nation, as that
was, but to be scattered farre and wide thorow all the regions of
the world. Wherefore there is no manifest reason, why in the be
ginning of this obseruation the name of Catholike should be said
to signifie communion. Indeed these two are very neere ioyned,
but they are two diuers things, as I have shewed. Now his Maies-
tie beleeues vnfainedlie, that there is but one Church of God, truly,
and in name Catholike, or vniuersall, diffused ouer the whole
world, out of which he affirmeth also that no saluation is to be
hoped for. Hee condenineth, and detesteth those which either long
since
ro TI 7/i> nvni.
lolm 10. 3.
THE ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE
since, or more lately liaue either departed from the faith of the
Catholike Church, and so become heretikes, as the Manichies, or
from communion, and so haue become schismatikes, as the Dona-
tists : against which two sorts of men chiefly al those things were
written by 8. Augustine, which are brought in this obseruation.
Likewise his Maiestie commends the wisedome of those godly Bish
ops, which in the fourth Councell of Carthage, as is here well ob-
serued, did adde vnto the forme of examination of Bishops, an inter
rogation concerning this point. Neither is the King ignorant, that
ye fathers of the ancient Church did oftentimes many things by
way of candescent, pro bono pads, as they vsed to say, that is, for
desire of maintaining vnitie,and for feare of breaking mutuall com
munion. Whose example he professeth himselfe readie also stu
diously to imitate, and to follow in the steps of those that follow
after peace, ad aras usq; to the altars, that is, as farre as he may
(considering the state of the Church in these daies) with the safetie
of a good conscience. For hee is as much grieued as any man, for
the distraction of the members of the Church, so much abhorred
by the holy Fathers: and as earnestly desireth to communicate, if
it were possible, with all that are members of the mysticall bodie
of our Lord lesus Christ. Neverthelesse, his Maiestie thinketh
that he hath most iust cause to dissent from those, which simply,
without any distinction, or exception, doe perpetually vrge this
communion. He acknowledgeth it to be very necessarie, and one
of the proper notes of the Church: yet doth not account it for the
true forme of the Church, and that which the Philosopher calls the
essentiall being. His Maiestie hath learned by his reading of the
holie Scriptures (according to the minde all ancient fathers) that
the true and essentiall forme of the Church is this, that the sheepe
of Christ heare the voyce of their shepheard, and that the Sacra
ments be rightly and lawfully administred, namely as the Apostles
haue giuen example, and those which followed neere to the
Apostles times. Those Churches which are thus instituted, they
must needes be linked together by a manifold communion. They
are vnited in Christ their head, who is the fountaine of life, where
by all line, whom the Father hath chosen to be redeemed by his
precious blood, and to be rewarded with eternall life. They are
vnited in the vnion of faith, and doctrine, in such chiefe points as
are necessarie to saluation. For there is but one sauing doctrine,
there is but one way to heauen. They are vnited in coniunction
of mindes
OF CARDINALL PERON.
of mindes in true charitie, and the duties of charitie, especially of
mutuall prayers. Lastly, they are vnited in the communion of
one hope, and expectation of promised inheritance ; knowing, that
before the foundations of the world they were predestinate (I speake
of the elect) to be fellow heires, and of the same bodie, and parta
kers of the promise of God in Christ through the Gospell, as saith
the diuine Apostle. Yet his Maiestie addes further, that the same
Church, notwithstanding if any member thereof depart from the
rule of faith, will more esteeme of the love of truth, then the love
of vnitie. He knowes that the supreme lawe in the house of God
is the sinceritie of celestiall doctrine : which if any man forsake,
he forsakes Christ which is Truth itselfe : hee forsakes the Church,
which is the pillar and establishment of truth, and by this meanes
ceaseth to appertaine vnto the body of Christ. With such Apos-
tataes, a true Catholike neither will nor can communicate: for
what concert betwixt Christ and Belial ? Wherefore the Church
will flie from communion with these, and wil say with Greg.
Nazianzen, that disagreement for godlinesse is better tlian ill affected
concord. Neither will he doubt, if need be, to say with the same
blessed father, that there is a holy contention. Now that such a
necessarie separation should sometimes be in the Church, both wee
are taught in other places of holie Scripture, and that admonition
also of the holie Ghost, not without cause given to the Church,
doth openly declare : saying, Goe out of Babylon, my people, lest
you communicate with her sinnes. WThat that Babylon is, where
out the people of God are commanded to depart, the King dis
putes not in this place, nor affirmes hee anything concerning it:
yet thus much the matter itselfe doth plainly shew, that whether
some priuate Church be vnderstood in that place by the name of
Babylon, or the greater part of the whole, it was before this a true
Church, with which the religious might religiously communicate :
but after it was more depraued, the religious are commanded to
goe out, and to breake off communion. Whereby it may be easilie
vnderstood, that not all communion with those that be called Chris
tians is to bee desired of the faithfull, but that only which may
stand with the integritie of doctrine reuealed from heauen. Now,
to come neerer to the purpose, his Maiestie denies those places of
S. Augustine to belong at all to him. For he affirmes that all those
testimonies doe evince this only ; that there remaines no hope of
salvation for them which depart from the faith^of the Catholike
Church,
Ephes. 3. 6.
aiaau/ioi.
1 Tim. 3. 15.
2 Cor. 6. 15.
ifnradoi'i; ofiavoia
De Pace. Orat..
if/JOf TT^AfjUOf .
In Oratione hob
tain Condi. Cot
stantin.
Apoc. 18. 4.
Mattli. 5. 14.
K(J~?/V
THE ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE
Church, or from communion with the same Church. Which thing
(as I said before) the King willingly grants. But here his Maiestie
desires of you (most illustrious Cardinall) that you would call to
minde, and perpend, what great difference there is betwixt the
times of S. Augustine, and these of ours. How much the Church
now called Catholike differs from the ancient ; how the face of the
Church is changed, and the outward forme, to say nothing of the
inward. For then the Church Catholike was like a citie seated
upon an hill, which, as Christ saith, cannot be hid, knowne to all,
conspicuous and certaine, whereof no sound minde could make
question. Which was not (as the foolish Donatists prated) lying I
know not where, in the South, driuen into some corner of the
world, but diffused farre and wide thorow the whole earth flourish
ing vnder the Emperours, whose dominion extended from the East
to the West, and from North to South. You might see the Bish
ops of the East and West daily communicating, and when need
required assisting one another. For that which is written in the
Constitutions of Clement, that the Catholike Church is the charge
of all the Bishops, and by that meanes that euery one is an Oecu-
menicall Bishop, we wonder now when we reade it, neither can
wee beleeve it, which then daily practise did shew to be most true,
and may easily be demonstrated out of historie, by infinit exam
ples. There were then also in frequent vse liter 'aeformatae, that is,
demissarie or testimoniall letters; by commerce whereof, and as it
were by tokens, communion was held amongst the members of the
Church, although farre remoued by distance of place. Further
more when it stood in neede, they had Councels truly Oecumeni-
call, not, as since we have seene; Oecumenicall in name only, but
indeed assembled out of some Prouinces of Europe. And in those
ancient times this was the fastest bond, whereby all the members
of the Catholike Church were knit together into the ioynture of one
bodie ; which bodie was for that cause very eminent, conspicuous,
and in the faire view of all, which no man could chuse but know.
There was one faith, one state, one body Catholike, frequent mutu-
all visitation, wonderfull consent of all the members, a wonderfull
sympathie. Was any man lapsed by heresie, or schisme from the
communion of any one Church: I speake not of any one of the
chiefe, which were the seates of the foure Patriarchs : but of any
one much smaller ? that man as soone as it was knowne, was held
to be excluded from the communion of the whole Catholike Church.
For
OF CARDINAL!, PEROX.
For -whereas wee meete with some examples obserued to the con-
trarie, that was not right, but vsurpation. Was any man bold to
corrupt the truth a little, by being of another opinion ? it was easie
even for a child to deprehend him. Wherefore such a steale-trueth
being once discouered, all the shepheards of the whole world, if
need was, were raised, and were neuer quiet vntill they had rooted
out this euill, and prouided for the securitie of Christs sheepe. By
these signes and markes the Church at that time was conspicuous :
but this happinesse continued not many ages. For, after that the
Empire was ouerturned, and the forme of the Commonwealth
altered, there sprung vp many new States, differing as well in man
ners and language, as in ordinances, and lawes. Then vpon the
distraction of the Empire followed the distraction of the Catholike
Church : and by little and little all those things ceased, which had
been before of singular vse for the presentation of vnion and com
munion in the outward Catholike bodie of the Church. From that
time the Catholike Church hath not ceased to be, for it shall con.
tinue euer, neither shall the gates of hell at any time preuaile
against it, seeing it is founded vpon Christ the true rock, and vpon
the faith of Peter and the rest of the Apostles ; but it began to be
lesse manifest, being diuided into many parts, which, as touching
externall communion, were quite separated from one another.
Then (which is chiefly to be lamented) it came to passe by this dis
sipation, that there was lesse strength in the parts, then before in the
whole bodie to resist the enemie of mankind, who is readie at al
times, as our Sauiour teacheth, to scatter tares amongst the good
seede. And considering, in these times wee see with our eyes that
this is come to passe, and it is so grosse that wee may almost grope
it with our hands, it is ridiculous, and most absurd to dispute
whether this thing could heretofore happen, or hath now happened.
Therefore the Church of Rome, the Greek Church, the Church of
Antioch, and of ^Egypt, the Abyssine, the Moschouite and many
others, are members much excelling each other in sinceritie of doc
trine, and faith : yet all members of the Catholike Church, whose
ioynture, in regard of the outward forme was long since broken.
For which cause his Maiestie doth much wonder, when hee consid-
ers how some Churches, which heretofore were but members of the
bodie once entire, doe now ingrosse all the right of the whole, and
appropriate to themselves the name of Catholike : excluding from
their communion, and affirming boldly, that they belong not to the
Catholike
10
THE ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE
TOVQ «Je
asiv.
OKtaf alc-
Catholike Church, whosoeuer do dissent from them in anything,
or refuse the yoke of their bondage. Neither do you only challenge
to your selues this right : there are others that do the same. For,
(his Maiestie speakes it with griefe) there are at this day many
priuate Churches, which beleeue that they onely are the people
peculiar, which they call the Church. Giue them that strength
which the Church of Rome hath, and they shall doe the same with
her, and pronounce of all others as hardly as she doth. What
shall wee say ? are there not sundrie sects now adaies, which are
certainly perswaded that they only have insight into the Scrip
tures, and, (as the Poet saith) that they only are wise, that all
others walke like shadowes ? It is true, indeed, that in every age
there were conuenticles of sectaries, and dmemblies, which did
boast themselues of the Catholike Church, and by this prouocation
did allure many vnto them : but it is the peculiar and famous
calamitie of these latter times, that the Catholike Church, vnto
which of necessitie a man must adhere, either really, and actually, or
at the least in will, and vow, is become lesse manifest then it was of
old, lesse exposed to the eyes of men, more questionable and doubt-
full. For which cause his excellent Maiestie thinketh that he
ought more carefully in such a deluge of variable opinions to be
take himselfe to the mountaines of the sacred Scripture : and as
S. Augustine gaue counsell to the Donatists to seeke the Church of
Christ in the words of Christ. And so S. Chrysostome, both else
where, and of purpose in his 33. Homilie vpon the Acts of the
Apostles, handling the question, How the true Church might be dis
cerned amongst many Societies which cliallenge to themselues that name :
teacheth that there be two meanes of deciding that question: first,
the word of God, and secondly, antiquitie of doctrine, not inuented
by any new author, but alwaies knowne from the birth, and be
ginning of the Church. These two trials the King, and Church of
England embracing, doe auouch that they acknowledge that doc
trine onely for true, and necessarie to saluation, which flowing
from the fountaine of sacred Scripture, through the consent of the
ancient Church, as it were a conduit hath been deriued unto these
times. Wherefore to make an end of this observation, his Maiestie
answeres, that it is faultie many waies, and cannot stand with the
hypothesis propounded. Because (saith he) the Church of Eng
land is so farre from forsaking the ancient Catholike Church, which
she doth reuerence, and admire : that she departeth not from the
faith
OF CARDINALL PERON.
faith of the Church of Rome, in any point wherein that Church
agreeth with the ancient Catholike. If you question the succession
of persons, behold the names of our Bishops, and their continuance
from the first without any interruption : if the succession of doc
trine, come, make triall : let us have a free Councell which may
not depend vpon the will of one. The Church of England is
readie to render an account of her faith, and by demonstration to
euince, that the authors of the reformation here, had no purpose to
erect any new Church, (as the ignorant and malicious do cauill)
but to repaire the ruines of the old, according to the best forme:
and in their iudgement that is best which was delivered by the
Apostles to the Primitiue Church, and hath continued in the ages
next ensuing. His Maiestie grants, that his Church hath departed
from many points of that doctrine, and discipline which the Pope
of Rome now stifly defendeth : but they doe not thinke this to be a
reuolting from the Catholike Church, but rather a returning to the
ancient Catholike faith, which in the Romane Church by new de-
uices hath been manifoldly, and strangely deformed ; and so a con
version to Christ the sole Master of his Church. Wherefore if any
man grounding vpon the doctrine of this obseruation, will inferre
from it, that the Church of England, because it reiects some ordi
nances of the Romane, hath therefore departed from the ancient
Catholike Church : his Maiestie will not grant him this, vntill he
proove by sound reasons, that all things taught by them of Rome,
especially those which they will have to be beleeued as necessarie
to saluation, were allowed of from the beginning, and established
by the ancient Catholike Church. Now, that no man can euer doc
this, at least neuer yet hath done it, his Maiestie, and the reuerend
Bishops of the English Church, doe hold it to be as cleere as when
the Sunne shineth at midday. Lastly, his Maiestie thinketh it a
great offence to forsake the Church, but hee vtterly denieth that
hee, or his Church are guiltie of this crime. For, saith his Maies
tie, we depart not voluntarily, but we are driven away. And your
Honour well knoweth how many, and how excellently learned and
godly men, for these fine hundred yeeres at the least, haue wished
the reformation of the Church, both in the head, and members.
What grieuous complaints haue been often heard of worthie Kings
and Princes, lamenting the estate of the Church in their times V
But what auailed it ? for vnto this day we see not any one thing
amended of all those which were thought most needful! of refor
mation.
ii
Non fuyimtts, seii
fi./gamur.
12
THE ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE
mation. Wherefore the Church of England in this separation
feareth not any fellowship with the Donatists, if the matter be de
bated by ingenuous men. They willingly and without cause left
the Catholike Church, which at that time the consent of all nations
did approue, whose doctrine or discipline they could not blame :
but England being enforced by great necessitie, separated herselfe
from that Church, which innumerable Christian people did not
grant to be the true Catholike, and vniuersall Church : nay more,
which many of your owne writers haue heretofore ingenuously con
fessed to haue varied much from the ancient Church in matters of
faith, and discipline ; to haue patched many new things to the old,
and euill to the good: which indeed, is now better knowne to the
vniuersall world, then that any man can denie, or be ignorant of
it. Furthermore, the Church of England for some ages past had
felt the yoke of the Romane servitude so cruell, being afflicted with
their often new vexations, and incredible exactions, that if there
were no other cause, yet that alone might suffice before equall
iudges to free them from the suspition of schisme, and as S. Augus
tine speakes of the Donatists, iniquce discimonis, of an vniust rent,
or distraction from the Church. For the English did not depart
from brotherly charitie vpon a humour, as the Douatists did, nor,
as the tenne tribes of the lewes, for feare of imminent evill : but
after the patience of many ages, after unspeakable miseries, at
length they withdrew their necks, and shaked off the intollerable
burthen, which neither were they able longer, nor would their
conscience suffer them to beare. Besides this, the ancient Church,
to the end that she might draw the refractarie Donatists to com
munion, was wont with admirable charitie to proutde for the tem-
porall commodities of the Bishops, and others that were recon
ciled : but the Church of Rome (being desirous of amitie with Eng
land) what doth she V first, thunders out her Buls, then vseth vio
lence, open, and secret: then receiueth into her bosome, and still
cherisheth detestable traytors, euidently condemned of plotting the
desolation of their Countrie: lastly, numbreth amongst Martyrs
those which suffered for the same crimes, and daily defendeth their
innoceucie against all lawes both diuine and humane. Cardinall
Bellcmnine hiniselfe (I am loth to speake, but I speake the truth)
is become a principall patrone of these parricides : who of late also,
(that he might draw on his Maiestie) hath vsed this argument of
wondrous efficacic to pcrswade ; that the kingdome of England
belongeth
OF CARDINAL!. PERON.
belongeth to the Pope, and that his Maiestie of England even in
temporalties is his subiect, and holdeth his kingdome of him. I
omit other grieuances of the King and Church of England both
ancient and moderne, which are not to be rehearsed in this place.
THE SECOND OBSERVATION.
Besides those that are necessarie to Saluation, there are two
kind of things, which t?ie ancient Church beleeued: whereof one is,
things profitable to saluation, the other, things lairfull, and not repug
nant to tlie same. Therefore if a man will embrace the faith of the
ancients, lie must also embrace those thing*, and estceme them as the
ancient Church did.
His MAIESTIES ANSWERE.
Those things which were held by the holy Fathers, as not abso
lutely necessarie to saluation; but only profitable, or lawfull, they
ought to be esteemed little more then indifferent. For the vse of
them being as things not simplie necessarie, in the beginning was
free. In such things therefore to deuise any necessitie at all, it
seemes vniust : for by and by there will follow a necessitie of vsing
them : as wee see it is come to passe in the Church of Rome :
which obserues at this day many things as simplie necessarie to the
integritie of faith, which the ancient Church scarce knew, much
lesse vsed as matters of necessitie. I will alledge foure examples
of many. It is manifest that in the primitiue Church confession
of sinnes was vsed, but farre otherwaies then now. For, that
auricular confession in that manner which you haue it was in vse
in the primitiue ages, I think, no man will affirme. His Maiestie
grants that the Fathers which did first ordaine it, had their reasons
why they thought that such manner of confession would further
the easier attaining vnto saluation : but they held it not for a thing i
necessarie absolutely, much lesse for a Sacrament: or at least not
all the Fathers thought so. For as touching S. Chrysostome, it is I
plaine that hee required not of his people auricular confession.
But the matter is now come to that passe, that there is little ?esse
attributed to this confession, then to the precious blood of Christ,
whereby wee are redeemed : the absolute necessitie thereof is so
precisely vrged. Whence by little grew vp that doctrine in the
Church of Rome, of not disclosing the secret of confession vpon
any occassion soeuer. For, because they beleeued that it was im
possible
THE ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE
1 Cor. 9. 27.
Laconicas
possible without this confession to attaine vnto tlie liaucn of salua-
tion, therefore they thought it necessarie to remoue all impediments
that might hinder it. Wherefore in time this doctrine hath pro
ceeded so farre, that now to murther Kings, or suffer them to be
murthered, seemes to be no sinne, in comparison of breaking the
scale of confession : which many of your Diuines, especially the
expounders of the Canon Law haue in their bookes published.
Moreouer, Binetus a lesuite, did auouch as much to me at
Paris, in the same tearmes, which I remember yet I told you after
wards. We know also, neither perhaps is your Honor ignorant of
it, yt there is another lesuit in France, which of late was bold to
say, That if pur Lord lesus Christ were liuing vpon the earth,
subiect to death, and some man had told him in confession, that
he would kill him, notwithstanding, rather then he would reueale
that confession, he would suffer (I tremble to speake it) Christ
lesus himselfe to be murthered. Which horrible blasphernie you
see whence it tooke the originall. In like manner, abstinence from
wine, and daintie cheare, set times of fasting, xerophagiae, or, eat
ing drie meates, the ancient Church reckoned amongst such
things as were profitable to the easier obtaining of saluation :
neither doth his Maiestie denie it, giuing a conuenieut interpreta
tion according to the intention of the primitiue Church : but, by
your leaue, he liketh not that the obseruation of these things should
be more strictly required, then of such as are expressly contained
in holy Writ. Againe, single life in the Ministers of the Church,
was in old time commended, but now it is commanded, and exact
ed as a matter of absolute necessitie : whereof you shall heare more
hereafter. So, whereas S. Paul saith, that hee doth afflict his
bodie, and make it seruiceable, his Maiestie honours, and calls
them blessed that follow this example of the diuine Apostle : but
he detesteth those which reckon sackcloth, and Lacedemonian
whippings, and such vexations of bodie, or, as they call them, sat
isfactions, amongst the causes of saluation : or at least so highly
prize them, that they make account of slouenrie, and whatsoeuer
nastines, as of sanctimonial perfection. But of al such his Maiestie
doth especially abhorre them, which after the manner of the priests
of Baal, rending their bodies with scourges, would make vs im
agine God to be desirous, and thirstie for mans blood, like Bcllona
the Pagan Goddesse. Only, he commends their wisedom, which
hiring others to be whipped for them, doe purchase the merit of
those
OF CARDINAL!, PEROX.
those punishments •which they haue suffered. So, it commeth to
pas?e, that the rich offend, and the poore are punished: that pen-
altie pursueth not the guiltie.but him that is in pouertie and want.
Wherefore, his Maiestie, as hee thinketh it vnlawfull to condemne
those things which the Fathers of the first age by vnanimitie of
consent did hold for things expedient, or lawftill : so he cannot
endure to be bound with any peremptorie necessitie of vsing the
same. For he holdeth Necessarie and Indifferent to be of a con-
trarie nature. But of these more largely in the Observation fol
lowing.
THE THIRD OBSERVATION.
Seeing in the matter of religion there is more then one kinde of
necessitie, ice must take heed when ice speake of things necessarie to
valuation, that ice be not decdued with the ambiguitie of the tearme.
Fur there is necessitie absolute, andvpon condition: a necessitie of tlie
mcane, and of the precept. Tliere is also a necessitie of beleeuing, ichich
bindeth all Christians without exception, and another which doth not
fjencrally binde all. Lastly, there is a necessitie of action, and a neces
sitie of approbation.
His MAJESTIES ANSWERE.
THE doctrine in this Obser nation, wherein the diuers kinds of
necessitie are learnedly, and very accurately declared, his ex
cellent Maiestie is so farre from disliking, that on the contrarie, he
thinketh, if these distinctions be taken away, a manifold confusion
would follow in matters of religion. For what can be thought
more dangerous then that things absolutely necessarie should be
held as necessarie only vpon condition, or contrariwise ? and that
other distinction which seemeth for the right, and orderly disposi
tion of all things in the house of God, is no lesse profitable. Like
wise, in your examples, his Maiesty obserueth nothing greatly to
be disallowed. But in your explication of things absolutely
necessarie, hee commendeth the truth of that speech : that there is
no great number of those things which be absolutely necessarie to
saluation. Wherefore his Maiestie thinketh that there is no more
compendious way to the making of peace, then that things neces
sarie should be diligently separated from things not necessarie:
that all endeauours might be spent about the agreement hi the
necessarie, and as touching the not necessarie, that a Christian lib-
ertie might bee granted. Simply necessarie, his Maiestie calleth
those
i6
THE ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE
JoJi. 3. 5.
those things, which the word of God expressely chargeth to be be-
leeued, or practised : or which the ancient Church by necessarie
consequence, hath drawne out of the word of God. But such
things, which out of the institution of men, although with a re
ligious, and wise intent, yet besides the word of God, were receiued,
and vsed of the Church for a time, those he thinketh may be
changed, or relaxed, or abolished. And as Pope Pius the second
said of the single life of the Clergie, that there was good right in
times past to ordaine it, but now there is better to disanull it: his
Maiestie thinkes that the same speech may be vsed in generall of
the most Ecclesiasticall obseruations, which are brought into the
Church without any precept of Gods word. If this distinction were
vsed for the deciding of the controuersies of these times, and if men
would ingenuously make a difference betwixt diuine, and positiue
law, it seems that amongst godly and moderate men, touching
things absolutely necessarie, there would bee no long, or bitter con
tention. For both (as I said euen now) they are not many, and
they are almost equally allowed of by all which challenge the
name of Christian. And his excellent Maiestie doth hold this dis
tinction to be of such moment for the diminishing of controuersies,
which at this time doe so vexe the Church of God, that he iudgeth
it the dutie of all such as bee studious of peace, diligently to ex-
plane it, to teach it, to vrge it. Now will we addresse ourselues to
speak of some examples which are proposed in this Obseruation.
Amongst the things absolutely necessarie, yet not simply, but in
respect of diuine institution, you reckon the baptisme of infants,
which wee (say you) doe referre vnto this Mnde of necessitie. After
wards you bring a place out of S. Augustine, wherein the possi-
bilitie of saluation of children not baptised is precisely denied.
Here, first, his Maiestie professeth that himself and the Church of
England doe allow the necessitie of baptisme, in respect of diuine
institution, as wel as you. The Church of England doth not binde
the grace of God to the meanes, which is contrarie euen to the doc
trine of the better sort of schoolmen : yet because God hath ap
pointed this for the ordinarie way to obtaine remission of sins in
his Church, and Christ himselfe denieth the entrance into the King
dom of heauen to those which are "not borne againe of water and
the Spirit : therefore it is carefully prouided heere by the Eccle
siasticall lawes, that parents may haue baptisme for their children
at any time, or place. Wherefore, that which TertuUian saith of
the
OF CARDINAL!. P F.RON.
the priniitiue Church, that Bishops, Priests, and Deacons did bap
tise : and lastly, that the same was lawfull for laymen also in case
of extreame necessitie; the same, as concerning Bishops, Priests,
and Deacons, is at this day practised in the Church of England,
without any rigid or inuiolable obseruation of whatsoeuer time or
place. But for the baptisme of laymen or women, as by the lawes
of the Church it is forbidden to be done; so being done according
to the lawfull forme, in a manner it is not disallowed, the Church
pronouncing it to be baptisme, although not lawfully administred.
But his excellent Maiesty doth so highly esteeme of this Sacrament,
that when some Ministers in Scotland, pretending I know not
what ordinances of new discipline, refused, vpon the desire of the
parents, to baptise infants readie to die, he compelled them to this
dutie with feare of punishment, threatning no lesse then death if
they disobeyed. Wherefore the words of S. Augustine, which doe
precisely exclude the not baptised from eternall life, if they be vn-
derstood of the ordinary way thither, and the only way that Christ
hath taught vs, his Maiestie hath nothing to obiect against that
opinion : but if it be simply denied that almightie God can saue
those which die vnbaptised, his Maiestie, and the Church of Eng
land abhorring the crueltie of that opinion, doe afflrme that S.
Augustine was an vnnaturall and hard father vnto infants. Vn-
doubtedly his Maiestie thinketh, that both these extreames are with
the like care to be eschewed : lest if wee embrace tliis rigid sentence,
we abbreuiate the power of God, and oifer wrong to his inflnit
goodnesse : or, whilest, as some doe, we reckon baptisme amongst
such things, the hauing, or forgoing whereof is not much mate riall,
wee should seome to make light of so precious a Sacrament and
holy ordinance of God. S. Augustine was a worthie man, of ad
mirable pietie, and learning, yet his priuate opinions his Maiestie
alloweth not as articles of faith, neither doe you allow them; for
example, Saint Augustine beleeued, as did Innocentius the first be
fore him, that the receiuing of the blessed Eucharist by infants
was no lesse necessarie to their saluation then baptisme, and this
he auoucheth in many places of his writings : yet you beleeue it
not, neither hath the Church of England changed this point of
doctrine which she receiued from you. Amongst those things
which impose necemtie of action vpon some persons, you num
ber mariage. Si quis sdbokm tollere wluerit : If any man say you
desire to haue issue. Againe, soone after, when you declare the
necessitie
CKjXJTlGTOVt;.
iS
1 Cor. 7. 9.
THE ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE
necessitie of approbation, you reckon the choice of liuing in virgin-
itie or single life : which things when his Maiestie read, he disal
lowed them not, yet he thought that vnto both examples, some
thing might conueniently be added : for vpon the former it seemes
to follow, that there is no other necessarie cause of manage, saue
hope of issue. But the Apostle S. Paul doth teach vs in expresse
tearmes, that they also are bound to prouide for mariage which
want the gift of continence. If they containe not, saith he, let
them marrie. This addition is of no small moment. For who
knoweth not what occasion is daily ministred in the Church of
Rome, of many and horrible crimes, through the contempt of
this Apostolike rule, through the neglect of this necessarie remedie ?
Wherefore in continent persons his Maiestie exceedingly commend-
eth the liuing in the estate of virginitie, or single life: and being
by the singular mercie of God more familiarly acquainted with
the sacred scripture, then most Princes are, hee knoweth S. Paula
sentence of the whole matter, and the examples extant in both
Testaments, and the rewards proposed to them that containe. But
whereas your Diuines doe commonly teach, especially the Doctors
of the Canon Law, that fornication, whoreclome, and other foule
sinnes not to be named, are more tollerable in Ministers of the
Church, then lawfull mariage, and the bed vn defiled : that his
Maiestie accounteth a most detestable crime, and most worthie of
the hatred of God, and men. His Maiestie opposeth against all the
cauils of Sophisters, yea against all humane authoritie whatsoeuer,
that oracle, of the holy Spirit, pronounced by the mouth of the
Apostle ; It is better to marrie then to burne. For as a wise Cap-
taine ought to be more afraid of receiuing ouerthrow, or losse to
himself, then of weakning hisenemie: so in the election of a mans
life, whether he would lead it marled, or single, his Maiestie
thinks that godly men ought in the first place to decline the trans
gression of Gods law, and then on Gods name, if any man haue the
power, let him vse that benefit of nature. It is a thredbare cauill,
that England is not a lawfull Church, because here wanteth the
practise of such vowes. But what can the want of vow hinder, as
long as wee are not destitute of that which is vowed ? For here
are many Bishops, and other Pastors of the Church, who without
ostentation of vow do abstaine from mariage, and yet leade their
Hues chastly and saintly, without any taint of common sinister re
port. Moreouer, for the Monasteries themselues, his Maiestie (as
he
OF CARDINAL!, PERON.
he is most earnestly affected vnto pietie and goodnesse) would not
haue dissolued them, or not all of them, (as I haue heard him
often protest) if he had found them vncorrupted, and obseruing the
Canons of their first institution. But his excellent Maiestie often
wisheth that the Tridentine Fathers, which could not bee drawne
by the entreaties of great Kings and Princes to prouide for pub-
like honestie on this behalfe, would consider with themselues, from
what fountains this doctrine did flow. For whereas at the first,
single life was placed amongst profitable orders, and counsels:
afterwards vowes were annexed, at length men came to this abso
lute necessitie, which now raigneth amongst you, the law of God
being abandoned, and most vilely disgraced. Now whereas in the
end of this obseruation it is added, that they which allow of some,
and reiect other of those things which the ancient Church beleeued
as necessarie to saluation, although vnder diuers kindes of neces
sitie, haue no reason to affirrne that they retaine the same faith and
discipline with the ancient Catholike Church : his Maiestie well
enough perceiucth the drift of that speech. He answereth there
fore, that he wil not extol his own Church, by comparing it to a
glasse without spot, or to a face perfectly faire without wrinkle, or
blemish : he leaueth such Pharasaisme to others. Yet that this
he knoweth euidently, that if question be made concerning the
essentiall markes of the Church, or if you looke at those things
which are plainly necessarie to salvation, or respect order, and de-
cencie in the Church ; you shall not finde a Church in the whole
world (God be praised for it) more approaching to the faith, and
fashion of the ancient Catholike. His Maiestie excepts none, no
not the Church of Rome : which by new inuentious deuised for in
crease of superstition, and for establishing of her dominion ouer
Princes, and people, hath manifestly turned, and changed the faith,
and discipline of the ancient Catholike, and swarued infinitly in
many things from the puritie and simplicitie of the primitiue
Church.
THE FOURTH OBSERVATION.
WHEN question is made touching the faith of the ancient Church,
there lie some which doe limit antiquitie within one or tico ages
after the Church ic as founded : but it standeth with equitie for exami
nation of the controuersies of these dates to insist vpon that time, where
in al parlies grant tliat the Church was not only a true Church, but
then also most florishing, and possessed of that glory and Itrightnes,
which
20
THE ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE
the oracles of so many Prophets had promised. And that
in the time iclierein the fours firxt yenemll Councels are included, from
Constantino the Emperour tnto Marcion. And there is tJie more
equitie in this, because there l>e so few monuments extant, of the former
ages, but very many of this time wherein the Church florished. So that
the faith, and discipline of the ancient Catholike may easily be kno'tcne
out of the writings of the Fathers of that age.
His MAJESTIES ANSWERE.
TMIIi-i condition will seeme vnreasonable to them which would
haue the vniuersall historic of the primitiue Church, concluded
within the Acts of the Apostles, which is but one little, though
most sacred and diuine book. The most equall and prudent King
is farre from this opinion : who in his Monitorie Epistle hath in
genuously declared how highly he esteemeth of the Fathers, which
lined in the fourth, and fifth age. Neither doth his Maiestie doubt
to pronounce with S. August, that look what the Church hath duly
obserued from her first originall vnto those times, and for any man
to offer to reiect that as impious, it is a point of most insolent madnes.
For his Maiestie heretofore hath unfainedly protested, that he ap-
proueth of those markes of truth given by Vincentius Lirinemis : a
principio, vbique et semper : that is, from the beginning, euery where,
and euer. Wherefore, the King, and the Church of England, in
that they admit of the foure first generall Councels, therein they
sufficiently declare that they conclude not the time ot the true, and
lawfull Church within the compasse of one, or two ages : but that
they extend it much further, comprising the time of Marcion the
Emperor, vnder whom the Councel of Chalcedon was kept. But
whereas in this obseruation you more esteeme the times after Con-
stantine, then the times going before, that his Maiestie thinketh
somewhat strange, and indeed doth not allow it. He granteth
that the Church of the fourth age florished aboue the former in ex-
ternall glorie, and splendure, in wealth, and plentie of learned men :
but that the Church of the former ages was equal with it, or ex
celled as touching the orthodoxall rightnesse of faith, and sincerltie
of incorrupt discipline, he is perswaded that none can make any
doubt. We finde euery where in the holy Fathers of the fourth
age, Basil, Nazianzen, lerome, Chrysostome, Augustine, and others,
most grieuous complaints of the faults and sundrie deprauations of
their Churches. Neither can it be doubted, that the further men
men lined from the first originall, the further also they departed
from
OF CARDINAL!, PEROX.
21
from the originall puritie, and sinccritie. Wherefore when there
is a serious purpose to dense, and to sweepe the house of God,
why should not an especiall regard bee had to the time of the
Apostles, or the times neere the time of the Apostles? It is true
indeed, that for the greatest part of that time the godly Christians
did Hue in obscuritie, in pouertie, and miserie, by reason of per-
petuall persecution : yet consider well, if in this sense also it be not
better to goe into the house of mourning, then into the house of
mirth. Pouertie and miserie are called the sisters of good minde :
riches, and glorie haue not that honourable report. And although
many of the writers of those times be lost, yet some are extant, and
those worthie of regard. S. Cyprian, that holy Martyr of Christ,
he alone, if there were none else, can better informe vs in the gou-
ernment and discipline of the primitiue Church, then many others
which lined in the fourth age. Wherefore the summe of his Maies-
ties answere vnto this observation, is : that he is well content there
Should be arguments brought out of the writings of the Fathers of
the fourth, and fifth ages; but with Jhis caution, and condition,
that those things be allowed for ancient and necessarie to sal na
tion, which had not their beginning then, but which may be
cleerely proued to haue been continually obserued from the
first originall of the Church vntill those times.
THE FIFTH OBSERVATION.
WHEN there is question made about the vnanimitie, and content of •
Fathers, some will haue it then to bee manifest, when the matter
controuerted is found in all the Fatfiers in expresse tearmes : whose
opinion being manifestly vmust, it is more cquitiefor knowledge of con
sent of Fathers, that these two rules be vsed. First, that the cement of
Fathers should then be thought to be sufficiently proued, when the
worthiest of euery nation do consent in the auerring of anything, and
tliat no man accounted ortliodoxall doth oppose them. So S. Augustine
when lie had praised cleuen of the principall writers of former times ;
and the Fathers of the Ephesine Councell, when they had brought out
ten against Nestorius, they all thought that they had giucn sufficient
lextimome concerning the consent of tlie ancient Church. The second
rule is this: When the Fathers do not speake as Doctors, nor say that
this, or that is thus to be done, or thus to bee beleeued : but when ax
witnesses of those things which the rniuersalle Church of their tinws be
leeued or practised, they affirme this to be the faith or practise of that
CatholiJce
Eccl. 7. 3.
THE ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE
Ciitliolike CJturch through the wltole world: then they are so much to
be honoured, that such an affirmation must he held sufficient to prone
the vnanimitie and consent of the Church.
Hrs MAJESTIES ANSWERE.
IT is an equall demand, that the parties which contend in these
times should consent and agree, how they may vse profitably
the authoritie of the ancient Fathers. For if the testimonie and
authoritie of the primitiue Church bee taken away, his Maiestie
freely confesseth, that on mans part, the controuersies of these
times can neuer haue an end, nor by any disputation be determined.
Wherefore that it may be agreed vpon what and how much is to
bee attributed to the Fathers, and how farre their authoritie is to
take place, it will not be amisse that certaine rules be composed
by the mutuall consent of the parties, prescribing the manner
hereof. Amongst many other profitable and necessarie rules for
this purpose, his Maiestie thinketh that these two which you haue
noted, may haue their place. But because the controuersies of
these dales are not about ceremonies, and other matters of lighter
moment, but about some articles of faith, and opinions appertain
ing to saluation: therefore his iudgement is that aboue all there be
a generall agreement vpon this rule, that opinions concerning mat
ters of faith, and whatsoeuer should be beleeued as necessarie to
saluation, ought to bee taken out of the sacred Scripture alone,
neither must they depend vpon the authoritie of any mortall man,
but vpon the word of God only, wherein hee hath declared his
will vnto vs by his holy Spirit. Because the Fathers, and the
ancient Church had authoritie of deducting articles out of the
sacred Scriptures, and explaning, but of coyning new articles of
their owne they had no authoritie. This foundation being laid,
both, the maiestie of the Scriptures inspired by God shal remaine
inuiolated, and that reuerence shall be giuen to the holie Fathers
which is due. That this was the minde of all the Doctors of the
ancient Church, it may be easilie demonstrated out of their owne
writings. For what words more frequent in their workes then
these? That the doctrine which is taught in tlie Church of God,
ought to bee taken out of the word of God. And these : For contro
uersies in matters of religion let the Scripture be fudge. Or who know-
eth not the golden words of S. Basil the Great, in his booke De
Fide ? It is a manifest fatt from faith, and argument of presumption
to reiect anyildnrj of the written word, or to bring in anything which is
not
OF CARDINALL PERON.
not written, seeing it is the speech of our Lord lesus Christ, My sheepe
heare my wyce. And thus much be spoken concerning the obserua-
tions proposed.
Now follow the foure instances. For your illustrious honour
being come to the hypothesis, to the end that you might euince
that his excellent Maiestie doth not beleeue those things which the
Catholike Church did anciently beleeue, you goe about to demon
strate it by foure arguments, drawne from such things as concerne
the outward worship of God, or the liturgie and matters of daily
practise in religion: and afterwards you giue this reason, why
especially you bring these instances, because if there were agree
ment concerning these, the rest would bee easily agreed vpon. His
excellent Maiestie (most illustrious Cardinall) could wish that this
might be hoped for : but considering with himselfe what it is which
at this day is vrged by your writers with chiefe care, and eager
contention : there appeares no great hope of peace, no not if there
were agreement about these foure heads which you haue proposed.
For now adaies, there is as eager contention about the Empire of
the Bishop of Rome, as for these or any other points of Christian
religion. This alone is now made the article of faith whereon all
the rest doe depend. Wherefore what hope remaines but in the
goodness, and mercie of God, to whom only it belongeth of right to
cure the maladies of his Church ? in him let vs hope, though against
hope, he icitt effect it. To returne to the purpose, the Instances which
you bring against the Liturgie of the English Church, they be
these.
1. They beleeue not the reall presence of Christ in the sacred Eucha
rist.
2. They reicct the doctrine of the sacrifice of the Christian Church.
3. They pray not for the dead.
4. They condemne the inuocation of Saints which are in heaiten.
Vnto these foure his Maiestie answeretli in few words.
To the first Instance concerning reall 2^'esence.
IF in the sacred mysteries of the Christian religion, the faithfull j
should bee thought to beleeue nothing but that, which they per- '
fitly \nderstand according to the manner, then surely they would j
be found to be vnbeieeuing in many things, which now they doubt |
not but that they do most firmely beleeue. That Christ our Lord
is the
23
Quatuor
(H'TOf 7T<«//7«.
TO o~ur.
TOV TfJOJTOl'.
THE ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE
is the Sonne of God the Father, begotten of the Father before all
worlds : that the same Christ being very God, did assume humane
flesh in the wombe of the blessed Virgin: that hee was borne of
her without any violation of the virginitie of this mother : that the
diuine nature is vnited in the same person with the humane: these
things, I say, and the like, all Christians doe make profession to
beleeue : of whom notwithstanding if you demauncl the manner
how they are done, they will answere that faith in matters of
Theologie is one thing, and humane science is another : and they
will religiouslie alleage Galen, who otherwaies is no good Master
of religion : whose excellent words in his 15. booke De vsu partium,
are these: IIow this was done, if you enquire, you will be taken for
one that Itath no understanding neither of your owne infirmitie, nor of
the power of the Creator. And as for the Fathers, how often they
dehort vs from this question of the manner, and from curiositie of
explaning the manner in diuine mysteries, I should be too long if
I should goe about to rehearse. You know the words of Gregorie
Nazianzene in his first oration, De TJieolxjia : You hcare the genera
tion of the Sonne, be not curious to know the manner. You heare that
the holy Ghost proccedcthfrom the Father, be not bitsie to enquire hoio :
and the same author in another place : Let tlie generation of God be
honored with silence : it is much for thee to haue learned that hee was
begotten, as for the manner how, wee grant it not to be understood by
the Angels, much less by thee. Gregorie had to deale with the
Arrians, those peruerse heretikes, whose impious curiositie he
goeth not about to satisne with subtiltie of disputation, but forbid-
deth them to search into the manner of so great a mysterie, and
enioyneth them silence. Now if his Maiestie, and the Church of
England doe vse this godly moderation about the mysterie of the
sacred Eucharist, I pray you Avho ought to enuie it? We reade in
the Gospels that our Lord instituting this Sacrament, tooke the
bread, and said, This is my body : but that our Lord did so much
as by one word explaue how it was his bodie, wee do not reade-
The Church of England doth religiously beleeue that which she
reades, and with the same religion she is not inquisitiue into that
which she reades not. They acknowledge, and teach that this is
a great mysterie which cannot be comprehended, much lesse de-
dared by the facultie of maus wit: but concerning the power and
efiicacie of it, their opinion is with all sacred reuerence. They
command those which come vnto this holie table diligently to
search
OF CARDINALL PERON.
search all the secret corners of their consciences : to make confes
sion of their sinnes vnto God, and if need be to the Priest also.
They carefully warne the commers that they compose their mindes
vnto all humilitie, and deuotion : they receiue the Communion of
the bodie of Christ vpon their knees : and they do not onely diuide
the mysticall bread amongst the faithfull in their publike assem
blies, but they giue it also to those which be towards death,
pro viatico; that is, for victuals in their iourney, as the Fathers of
the Nicene Councell, and all antiquitie doe call it. Lastly, his
Maiestie, although he would haue his to abstaine from all manner
of curiositie, yet alloweth also of whatsoeuer the holie Fathers of
the first ages haue spoken in the honour of that vnspeakable mysterie.
Neither doth he reiect the words of the Fathers, as transmutation,
alteration, transclementation, and such like, if they be vnderstood
and expounded agreeably to their intention. If this doctrine of
his Maiestie, and the Church of England doe not giue you satisfac
tion, then what remaines but that hee yeeld vnto the opinion of
Transubstantiation, if he will be friends with you ? But that is not
piously to beleeue the veritie of the thing, but with importunate
curiositie to decree the manner thereof: which the King and his
Church will neuer doe, will neuer allow. But his excellent Maies
tie wondreth, that whereas your Honour granteththat you require
not primarily the beleeuing of Transubtantiation, but that there
be no doubt of the truth of the presence, yet the Church of Eng
land hath not satisfied you in this point, which in publike writings
hath so often auouched her beleefe hereof. Wherefore that you
may certainly know what is beleeued, and what is taught in this
Church concerning that matter, I haue heere set down a whole
place out of the right reuerend the Lord Bishop of Ely his booke
against Cardinall Bettaiinine, which some few moneths agoe he
published. Thus he saith in the first chapter: Our Saviour Christ
said, this is my bodie, not, after this manner is my bodie : whereof the
CardinaU is not ignorant vnlesse wittingly and wittingly. We agree
with you concerning the obiect, a% the strife is about the manner. Con
cerning this is, wee beleeue jirmely that it is: concerning after this
manner it is, to wit, that the bread is transubtantiate into Jiis bodie,
after wliat manner it is done, ichether by, or in, or wider, or beyond,
there is not a word in tlie Gospett: and because there is no word; there
fore we liaue reason to banish it from beleefe. We number it perad-
uenture amongst flie decrees of the schoole, but not amongst the articles
of
26
THE ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE
[j.d/J.ov
of faith. That which Durandus is reported to haw said, doth not dis
like m: we heare the word, we perceiue the sound, we know not tlie
manner : we beleeue the presence, we beleeue, I say, the true presence
as well as you : concerning the manner of the presence we doe not vn-
aduisedly defim. Nay more, we doe not scrupulouslie enquire : No more
then we doe in Baptisme liow the blood of Christ denseth vs : no more
then we doe in the incarnation of Christ how the diuine nature is
vnited in one person with the humane. We reckon it amongst the
mysteries (and indeed ihe Eucharist is a mysterie) the remainders
whereof should be consumed with fire: That if, (as the fathers doe ele
gantly understand it) which sliould be adored by faith, not debated by
reason. This is the faith of the King, this is the faith of the Church
of England. Who (that I may summarily comprise the whole
matter) doe beleeue that in the Supper of the Lord they are made
really partakers of the bodie and blood of Christ, (as the Greeke
Fathers speake, and as Bellarmine himselfe confesseth) spiritually.
For by faith they apprehend, and eate Christ: and they beleeue
that there is no other kinde of eating profitable to salvation, which
all your men also haue confessed.
To the second Instance concerning the Sacrifice in the
Christian Church.
His Maiestie is not ignorant, neither doth he denie, that in place
of the manifold sacrifices of the Mosaicall law, the ancient Fathers
did acknowledge one sacrifice in the Christian religion. But this
he auoucheth to be nothing else but the commemoration of that sac
rifice which Christ did once offer to his Father vpon the crosse.
Therefore S. Chrysostome, which maketh mention of this sacrifice
as oft as any, vpon the ninth chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes,
after he hath called it a sacrifice, straightwaies adioyneth by way
of explication, or correction, or rather commemoration of that sacri
fice. That tearme, or rather, what force it hath you know very
well. And often hath the Church of England protested, that they
would not contend about the word, so they might obtaine of you
to haue the ancient faith restored. And that these things which
you practise contrarie to the custome of the ancient Church, might
be abolished. For it is certaine that the celebration of the Eucha
rist without any communicants, and all that merchandise of pri-
tiate masses, condemned by many of your owne Diuines, tooke
their originall from the peruerse doctrine concerning this sacrifice.
And
OF CARDINALL PERON.
And whereas for the deliuering of soules of the deceased from the
flames of Purgatorie, the necessitie of many masses is vrged, his
Maiestie doubteth not, but that this is a dotage of idle brains, and
such as for their owne gaine doe wickedly abuse the simplicitie of
the people. Itemoue those, and the like grosse and foule abuses
which raigne amongst you, and the Church of England, which in
her Liturgie maketh expresse mention of a sacrifice, can be well
content to rest in the custome of the ancient Church. Wherefore
his excellent Maiestie being lately informed that not long agoe, at
a famous assemblie of Dominican Friers, you disputed learnedly
concerning a double sacrifice, of Expiation and of Commemoration,
or rdiyion, hath affirmed in the hearing of many, that he approued
that distinction, and commandeth me now to signifie so much
vnto you.
To the third Instance of prayer for the dead.
That it was a very ancient custome in the publike prayers of the
Church to make commemoration of the deceased, and to desire of
God rest for their soules, which died in the peace of the Church,
few are ignorant, much lesse is it vnknowne vnto his Maiestie.
Neither is there any doubt but that this custome sprung from a
vehement affection of charitie. Likewise the ancient Church here
by gaue testimonie of the resurrection to come. This custome,
although the Church of England condemneth not in the first ages,
yet she thinketh not good to retaine it now for diuers and weightie
causes, some whereof I will touch heere. First, because she is
verily perswaded that without any precept of Christ, the supreme
Lawgiver of his Church, this custome was introducted, neither
could the contrarie hitherto bee demonstrated by any of your Doc
tors. Wherefore, although his Maiesty doth not take vpon him, as
he hath protested in his Monitorie epistle, to condemne an ordi
nance which is approved by ye practice of the ancient Church, yet
he is vndoubtedly perswaded that his Church is not bound by any
necessitie to obserue it. For whatsoeuer the ancient Christian
Fathers haue done on this part, all that his Maiestie referreth vnto
the head of things profitable, or lawfull : of which wee haue spo
ken in the second observation: neither can it be proued that this
custome is to be referred vnto those things which are of absolute
necessitie. For whence should this necessitie spring? not from
the law of God, for he never commanded it: and if it flow not
from
28
ev floppy Qeov.
Philip. 2, 7.
Matt. 11. 28.
THE ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE
from that fountaine, it is no necessitie. For wee haue alreadie laid
this ground, that nothing ought to be accounted necessarie to sal-
nation, which is not either expressly contained in Gods word, or
thence by necessarie consequence deducted. And wee haue de
clared, that such things as the ancient Church beleeued, or prac
tised without necessitie, the same ought now also to be left with
libertie vnto vs. A second reason is, that although his Maiestie
acknowledgeth the authors of this custome to haue been very
ancient, yet no man hitherto could proue, that such was the vse
in the beginning, and in the Apostolike times, which is the foun
taine of all antiquitie in the Church. Besides that, the prayers then
vsed doe much differ both in their end, and manner, from these
which are now practised, and taught. A third reason is added by
his Maiestie, that when once prayer for the dead tooke place
amongst Church rites, not long after a rout of shamefull errours)
and doting superstitions did band together, and breake into the
Church. Now let indifferent arbitratours iudge to whom the name
of Catholike should be denied: whether to the King, and his subiects,
which by reason of errours ensuing haue left off, or thinke it not
lawfull to vse a custome grounded vpon no necessitie : or to your
men, which by sophisticall cauillations, and ncredible obstinacie
had rather maintaine, then reforme all the errors of former ages,
though neuer so grosse, and pernicious.
To the fourth Instance concerning the invocation of
Saints.
Concerning the inuocation of Saints, his Maiesties answere is the
same with his former touching prayers for the dead. From a small
beginning (as all men know) it grew to such greatnesse, that in
former ages (and I wish it were not so now in many places) Chris
tian people haue put more confidence, and hope of present aide in
Saints, then (6 horrible impietie) in our Sauiour himselfe: who
being in the forme of God, that he might bring saluation vnto vs
which were his enemies, did emptie himselfe by taking the forme
of a seruant, and humbled himselfe being obedient vnto death,
euen the death of the crosse. And when this blessed Sauiour, ac
cording to his neuer enough admired goodnesse and clemencie,
doth inuite miserable sinners with these sweete words of his Gospell,
Come vnto me all you that are weary and Jieauie laden, and I will re
fresh you : yet some haue endeauored by the peruerseness of their
wit
OF CARDINALL PERON.
•wit to frustrate this gracious inuitation : and painting Christ, who
is our onely Aduocate to God the Father, alwaies terrible, and vn-
mercifull, they would perswade poore soules that there is no way
to Christ but through the mediation of many Saints. Moreouer,
some others haue openly taught, that our Sauiour Christ hath re-
serued the seueritie of iustice vnto himselfe, but indulgence and
mercie he hath granted to the blessed Virgin. Againe, how haue
they distributed offices, and powers of healing amongst the Saints
with wonderfull curioeitie, or rather detestable superstition ? And
heretofore their suffrages only were desired, that being gracious
with God almightie they would make intercession for men : but
afterwards, the world was filled with bookes concerning the proper
seruice of this, or that Saint, and peculiar formes of prayer to be
made vnto them. Wherefore in place of that diuine booke of the
Psalter, which the ancient Christians neuer laid out of their hands;
which was the solace of men and women, yong and old, rich and
poore, learned and vnlearned, there haue succeeded the Houres of
our Ladie, and Legends, or rather impious and doting fables (I
speake not of the true histories of Martyrs) and such vile stuffe.
And yet further, as if it were not iniurie enough to robbe Christians
of so necessarie and diuine a booke, one of your men hath turned
all the Psalmes to the honour of the blessed Virgin, attributing
vnto her (as if there were no difference betwixt the creature and
the Creator) whatsoeuer was prophecied concerning the onely Sonne
of God. His excellent Maiestie doth extoll the happinesse of the
most glorious virgin mother of our Lord, affirming that she is ele
vated vnto the highest degree of honour, which God the Creator
could impart to any humane creature : he reioyceth also that the
Church of England vpon set daies in the yeere doth solemnize the
honoured memorie of that most blessed Virgin : but the Sophisters
of these times can by no cunning euer perswade him to allow, or
endure that Psalter of our Ladie. For as touching Cardinall Bel-
larmine, which hath lately defended it, his Maiestie is perswaded
that he is distasted of your owne, as many as but haue any small
sense of pietie. Considering then that the Church of Rome is
almost deadly sicke of such inward diseases, his Maiestie wondred
(most illustrious Cardinall) when hee read in your epistle that the
inuocation of Saints, as your men doe now practise it, is the same
which was in vse in the primitiue Church. Wherefore his Maiestie
answereth in few words : First, it cannot be proued that in the be
ginning
THE ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE
ginning of the primitiue Church, any other but the almightie God
was inuoked : secondly, that there is no precept in the word of God
for it, no one footstep of any example : God onely was adored,
God onely was implored through the intercession of his onely be
gotten Sonne, the one and onely Mediatour betwixt God and man.
Afterwards was brought in the vse of praying at the sepulchres of
Martyrs: then began the making of apostrophees vnto Saints, be
sides the worship of God : then the making of vowes, and prayers,
not primarily to pray to them, but that they should pray God.
Yet if these new examples had gone no further, his Maiestie would
not greatly haue reprooued the custome of those times, at the least
not so much condemned it is as the abuses which hereupon ensued.
For his Maiestie doth honor the blessed Martyrs, and other Saints
which now raigne with Christ the head of both Churches, triumph
ant and militant : neither doubteth he of their continuall prayers
for the necessities of the Church, beleeuing stedfastly the benefit
thereof: but heeconfesseth ingenuously that heeknoweth no reason
whereby any man can promise or warrant vs that they heare our
prayers, and that wee should account them as our household gods,
and protectors. Wherefore hee exceedingly disliketh that which
followed in after-ages. For by degrees it came to that which I
haue shewed, which the Church of England afflrmeth to be impious
in the extreame. And if there bee examples extant in the Fathers
of the fourth age for this inuocation (and no doubt there are, neither
doth the King denie it) yet this is a testimonie of the decay of
ancient simplicitie, and of an euill then growing ; but in no respect
comparable with that which in the Church of Rome at this day is
openly practised, tolerated, and defended. Lastly, although the
holy Fathers did allow the custom -of that time amongst things
profitable, or lawfull, yet they neuer accounted of it as a thing
necessarie to saluation, which is the present argument of our speech.
And thus much concerning the foure objections against the English
Liturgie.
Now his Maiestie commendeth your iudgement, that amongst all
the things which you dislike in his religion, you haue made choice
especially of those which concerne matters of Church assemblies,
and diuine seruice. For the communion of the faithfull consisteth
much in the publike exercises of pietie : and this is the chiefe bond
of vnion so much desired by good men. Wherefore if Christians
cculd but agree about this, why might not a.11 Europe communicate to
gether ?
OF CARDINALL PERON.
gether ? only, granting a libertie to schoole-Diuines with modera
tion to debate other opinions. Which were a thing much to be
wished, and that foundation once laid, by the helpe of God, much
hope might be conceiued of the rest. For this cause his excellent
Maiestie greatly commending your iudgement herein, hath himselfe
likewise heere deliuered, what things in your Liturgie he thinketh
worthie to bee reprooued. But if, for the want of these foure things in
the English Liturgie, you think there is iust cause, that they which
vse it should neither be accounted, nor called Catholikes: then con
sider, I pray you, what his Maiestie may pronounce of the Church
of Rome, in whose Liturgie (for hee passeth other points of your
religion) godly men haue obserued so many things manifestly re
pugnant to the word of God, and the ancient Catholike faith.
Which things neuerthelesse the Pope had rather maintaine, then
reforme, when the truth now shineth so cleerely. And here al
though his Maiestie could easily rehearse many grieuous abuses in
the Romane Liturgie; yet it pleaseth him to name only foure,
which he opposeth to the other four named by you. The first is
the vse of an vnknowne tongue, contrarie to the precept of S. Paul,
and the practise of the primitiue Church, to whom in their assem
blies nothing was dearer then the good, and edification cf the hear
ers. Wherefore the Fathers prouided the translation of Scripture
into all languages : and, as Epiphanius noteth in the end of his
third booke, they had t/teir Interpreters, who, if need were, did
translate one language into another, in their readings, as hee speak-
eth, that is, when the Scriptures were read vnto the people.
Surely, that the things read were generally vnderstood, this alone
is sufficient proofe, that in most of the Homilies of the Greeke and
Latin Fathers, wee meete with these words, vt audistis kgi, or, tt
hodie lectum est : as you heard it read, or as it was read to-day.
Which if your preachers should say, were it not ridiculous? when
the poore people vnderstand nothing that is read out of the Scrip
tures, notwithstanding they haue more need then the people of old
time. For the ancient Doctors vrged euery one to reade the Bible
diligently in their houses, which now vnder paine of excummunica-
tion they are forbidden to touch ; vnlesse they obtaine a dispensa
tion. So that the sacred word of God (I tremble to speake it) hath
now the first place in the catalogue of bookes prohibited. His Maies
tie knoweth that amongst you there may be found some Bibles trans
lated into vulgar languages: but the English Priests at Doway,
which
t'v ro
32
rrpbf TO
THE ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE
which turned the Scripture into English, haue taught him thus
much, that you were constrained against your willes to make those
translations, importunitate haretieorum, by the importunitie of the
heretikes, as they of Doway speake. For it is heresie with these
men to be desirous to reade the word of God with sobrietie, and
reuerence. Neither is his Maiestie ignorant, when Eenatus Bene-
dictus Priest translated the Bible into French, how the Popes of
Rome troubled him for that fact, and how by their letters they com
manded the Bishop of Paris to endeauor that all the French trans
lations might be extorted from the people. "Which without faile
they had effected, if there had been no Protestants in France. His
Maiestie hath read of late also a booke of a certaine English Ponti-
fician Priest, that prayers vttered in an vnknowne tongue haue a
kinde of greater emcacie in them, then if they were vnderstood.
which senselesse dotage was an old heathenish conceit, and is not
the singular follie of this Priest alone. So the Valentinian here
tikes did vse Hebrew names in their superstitious mysteries, that
they might amaze the ignorant multitude : and, as Eusebius speak-
eth in the fourth part of his Historic, tlie more to astonish those that
icere initiated in their superstitions. The second abuse is, the dimin
ishing of the holie Sacrament, contrarie to the institution of Christ,
the example of S. Paul, and the practice of the Church, for the
space of one thousand yeares at least, as Cassander a learned man
confesseth. In the third place are priuate Masses, where are no
communicants. I haue said before that those things had their be
ginning from the peruerse doctrine concerning the sacrifice in the
Christian Church. Restore vs the ancient faith, and the ancient
practise. In the fourth place his Maiestie obiecteth the present vse
and adoration of Images. The Councell of Trent confesseth an
abuse, and the Romane Catechisme giueth some profitable admo
nition on this behalfe. But what are we the better ? the abuse re-
maineth, it is approued, maintained, and encreaseth daily. His
Maiestie omitteth the adoration, and inuocation of Saints : which
as it is now practised, neither can, nor ought to be excused. He
omitteth also the religious adoration of reliques, which at this day
is taught and commanded as a thing necessarie, or at least very
profitable to saluation. Beside the intolerable absurditie : as when
false or ridiculous reliques are obtruded, as the teares of Christ,
and the milke of our Ladie, and such like. Hee omitteth the licen
tious boldnes of your preachers, when they stray from the word of
God:
OF CARDINALL PERON.
God : who ought to bee restrained from propounding any doctrine
to the people as necessarie to salvation, which is not drawne out of
the diuine oracles, and agreeable to the ancient faith. For that is
the wholesome doctrine which the Apostle so often commendeth.
If there were such a restraint, many things now practised in the
Church of Rome, would fall downe of their owne accord. As the
doctrine of Indulgences: as that foppish deuice of the intensiue
paines in Purgatorie : by vertue of which intension many thousand
yeeres are contained in one minute : as those battologiae, or idle
repetition of heedlesse prayers, vnpleasing to our Sauiour, as he
himselfe witnesseth. Then it would no longer be accounted great
merit to repeate the Rosarie, or other prayers, and Psalmes twentie,
or fiftie, or an hundred times. If these and such like impediments
were remoued, religious men should peradventure finde no iust
cause to abstaine from your communion. There is another thing
which his Maiestie thought good not to omit, which is written in
the end of your Epistle : that you will be silent concerning the Pope
of Rome, because it is manifest, to those which haue but meane
skill in Ecclesiasticall historic, that the Fathers of the first ages, the
Councels,and Christian Emperours in all businesse appertaining to
religion and the Church, gaue him the preheminence, and acknow
ledged him the chiefe. That this is all for this point, which your
Church requireth to be beleeued as an article of faith, by those
whom you receiue into the communion. To this his Maiestie
maketh answere : and, appealing to your owne vnpartiall minde,
he desireth you to consider the actions of Romane Bishops for
almost seuen hundred yeeres past. He is loth to stirre the remem
brance of things noisome, yet gladly would hee haue you know,
that hee is most certaine of this : that the late Bishops of that sea
are so vnlike vnto the ancient Popes in sinceritie of faith, in man
ner of life, and in the whole course and end of their gouernment,
that it is altogether vniust, things being in this state, to draw argu
ments from the former ages, and applie them to this, present time.
Let the forme of the ancient Church be restored, and many new
lawes heretofore not heard of be abolished. In briefe, let the
Bishop of Rome declare euidently by his actions that he seeketh
Gods glorie, not his owne ; that he hath a care of the peace, and
saluation of his people: then his Maiestie, as he hath protested be
fore in his Monitorie Epistle, will acknowledge his primacie, and
be willing to say with Gregorie Nazianzen, that he 7iath the care of
the
33
naaqe rf/q
irpwoeiv.
34
THE ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE
the wliole Church. But at this time what the Church of God, especi
ally Kings and Princes, ought to think concerning that sea, his
Maiestie dare referre it to your owne iudgement to determine. For
you know what a number of books come abroad daily from Rome,
and almost all the corners of Europe, in defence of the Popes tem-
porall power, or rather omnipotencie, his dominion, and monarchic
ouer all the Kings, and people of the whole earth. You know
that Cardinall Bellarmine hath of late written concerning that argu
ment, and soone after the death of Henry the Great, hath been bold
to publish that, which all honest men of your owne side doe detest.
I say, all honest men : for the complices of that conspiracie doe
heartily embrace, and to their power defend it as an oracle from the
mouth of the Pope, which cannot erre. Wherefore the Jesuits of
Ingolstade in a booke lately published against Master lolm Gordon,
the Deane of Salisburie, a man nobly borne, and very learned, doe
cite testimonies out of this booke of the Cardinals, as if it were the
constant opinion, and consent of all Catholikes. But I desire your
Honour to consider whether the ancient Church euer did the like
to this, and what will be the issue of this madnesse. Consider into
what danger of vtter ruine they bring the Church of Christ, which
doe approue, or suffer such things as are now practised, and taught.
For, to conclude, as long as matters stand thus with you, and yet
you denie that you haue been the cause of the diuision, it were
meere doltishnes, and follie to imagine any reconciliation amongst
the diuided mCbers of the Church. The last point in your letters
was this : that you are able to demonstrate cleerely what good con
sent there is betwixt the Church of Rome, and the seas of the other
Patriarches in these points which are now in controuersie. But
his Maiestie thinketh that you may spare that labour. For hee
knoweth, and so doe others that are desirous to prie into such mat
ters, that not the West Church alone, but the East also, the
Churches in the South and North parts of the world haue degen
erated farre from the golden sinceritie of former ages, and perad-
venture further then might seeme possible : but that the reuolting
from the ancient faith must come to passe of necessitie, being fore
told by the oracles of God. He knoweth also how those nations
haue daily heaped ceremonies vpon ceremonies, and how for more
then these thousand yeeres superstitious men haue been too pre
sumptuous in that kinde. But when wee treat of reforming the
Church of God, the question is not what the East Church,
or the
OF CARDINALL PERON.
or the Moscouites Church doe practise, or beleeue: but this is the
question, what the Apostles haue taught from the beginning, and
what the Catholike Church hath practised in her times, and in the
ages next following. That, that, is the paterne which the King
doth ingenuously, and from his heart confesse that he would imi
tate without all exception. Neuerthelesse, such as are skillfull in
Ecclesiasticall matters, they will not grant you this neither : that
the doctrine of the Kornane Church doth agree in all points with
that which is taught in the Churches of other Patriarches. For to
omit your worshipping of Images, your fire of Purgatorie, your
precise obseruation of single life, and the infinite power of the
Pope, euen aboue Councels : to say nothing of these, and other
articles: yet it is manifest that in the celebration of the sacred
Eucharist, the Grecians doe much differ from you Romanes. In
so much that Marcus the Archbishop of Ephesus speaking of the
Romane Masse, doth affirrne that in matters of greatest moment it
is contrarie to the word of God, and the ancient Liturgies. It is
manifestly repugnant (saith he) to the expositions and interpretations
which wee haue receiued by tradition, and to the words of our Lord,
and to the meaning of tlwse woi-ds. And of those which defend the
Romane rites concerning this matter, the same Marcus pronounceth,
that they deserue to be pitied both in regard of their double ignorance,
and tlwir profound sottishnesse. But thus much is enough for the
present. Now you haue heard (most Illustrious Cardinall) the
reasons wherefore his excellent Maiestie of great Britaine, after the
reading of your letters, doth, neuerthelesse trusting in the mercie of
God, beleeue, and maintaine that he, and his Church are Catho
like. Who if he were not inflamed with an infinit desire of further
ing the publique peace, or if he supposed that you were otherwaies
affected, he would haue spared the labour of this answere. Especi
ally, because his Maiestie calling to minde the daily writings and
practises of your men, is now (as I said before) stedfastly perswaded
that through their dealings there remaine no meanes or hope of
reconciliation. For they are resolued to defend all ; and not to
grow better, or by the serious reformation of things depraued to
winne the mindes of the godly. In which resolution as long as
they persist, and will not yeeld one iot to antiquitie, and truth, his
Maiestie professeth once for all that he regardeth them not, neither
will hee euer haue any communion with the Church of Rome. So
his Maiestie humbly prayeth to our Lord lesus Christ, that he
would
THE ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE OF CARDINALL PERON.
would vouchsafe to direct those excellent gifts of minde, which he
hath plentifully bestowed vpon you, to the honour of his
name, and the benefit of his Church. And I
humbly take my leaue of your Honour.
London 9. of Nouember.
MDCXI.
INDEX
OF
MATTERS, NAMES, AND PHRASES.
Abstinence, primitive and modern
notions of 14
Adiapliora 13
Agreement, on matters of religion,
\vliy desirable 2
Ancient belief or practice not of
itself binding 28
" Catholic faith, Roman Lit
urgy repugnant to 31
" custom of commemoration
of the dead 27
" faith, doctrine to be agree
able to the 33
" faith and custom forsaken by
many churches 34
" faith and custom to be re
stored 26
ANDREWES, Bp. quoted, on the real
presence 25
Antiquity and Apostolicity distin
guished 28
" not regarded by Papists .. 35
" of doctrine, a note of the
Church 10
Apology of K. James, how answered, 2
Apostates not to be communed with , 7
Apostolic churches 6
" age, the best authority ... 21
" times the true antiquity. . 28
" teaching and practice the
true norm of reform. . 35
Asceticism 14
AUGUSTINE, ST., his times different
from ours 7
not against the
Church of England. .. 7
4
AUGUSTINE, ST., on infant baptism 16, 17
" against whom ho
wrote 6,10,12
quoted by PERRON 5
Auricular confession 13, 24
Authority of the fathers only for de
duction from Holy
Scripture , 22
Babylon to be left 7
BANCROFT, Archbishop of Canter
bury 3
Baptism, a mystery 26
" not restricted as to time or
place 16
" TERTULLTAN on 17
BASIL the Great, deFide, on unscrip-
tural teaching 22
Battologiac 33
Belief held necessary to salvation in
the first four ages, to be
held by a Catholic 5
BELLARMINE on the temporal pow
er of the Pope 34
" his defence of the Psal
ter of our Lady. „ 29
" a patron of traitors. . . 12
BENOIT, Rene, his French transla
tion of the Bible 32
Bible, use of, in the vernacular, and
at home '..... 31
BINET, S. J., on concealing confes
sion .... 14
Bishop, Oecumenical, what 8
Bishops, examination of 6
BlessedVirgin.superstitions concern
ing. . ... 29
INDEX OF MATTERS, NAMES, AND PHRASES.
Body of Christ, mystical 6
Burning of VORSTIUS' book 8
Canonists on the " seal" of confes
sion 14
" on clerical celibacy 18
Carthage, fourth Council of 6
CASAUBON writes from the King's
own mouth 4
CASSANDER quoted 32
Catechism, Roman, cautions against
abuse of images 32
Catholic, a true 4
' Catholic ' a glorious name 4
" assumption of the name, 9
" a name not to be denied
to the Church of Eng
land 28,35
" and " Christian," names
to be claimed 4
' Catholic Church ' and ' Commu
nion of Saints '
in the creed, two
things 5
" the true 4
" " obscured by sects 10
" what 9,10
" faith, the ancient, the Ro
man Liturgy repug
nant to. 31
Catholicity, Anglican definition of.. 5
" and Communion not
identical 5
Celebration without communicants
26,32
Celibacy of clergy 18
Pius II. on 1G
" of monastic orders. 19
" undue exaltation of 14
Censorship in Divinity exercised by
King James 3
Ceremonies, multiplication of, in
modern times 34
Chakedon, Council of 20
CHRIST alone the means of access
to God the Father.. .28, 29
" sole Master of His Church, 11
" the uniting of the Churches G
1 Christian ' and ' Catholic ' names
to be claimed 4
PAGE
CJirysostom, St., on confession 13
" on finding the true
Church 10
" on the Christian sacri
fice 26
Church, essential form of the 6
Church Catholic, or Universal, what 5
" " how to be found 10
" called Catholic, of modern
times 8
" of England, far from for
saking the Ancient
Church 10
Churches, apostolic 6
" particular, sundered in
outward form 9
" private, claiming to be
the Church 10
Civil authority, assaulted by Rome •
and the Jesuits 34
CLEMENT, Constitutions of. 8
Communicatory Letters 8
Communion of Churches in the
fifth century 8
of saints, in the creed.. 5
" of the faithful, in what
it consists 30
" with all in the mysti
cal Body of Christ
desirable 6
" with all, may not be a
duty , 7
" " not a note
of the Church 6
" " how far to be
urged.... 6,7
Conciliatory procedures of Fathers
of the Church 6
Confession, Anglican use of 24, 25
" Roman, differs from the
primitive 13
Consent of the ancient Church, a
conduit of doctrine.. 10
Constant ine, times after, not of
higher authority
than those before — 20
Constitutions of CLEMENT 8
Contention sometimes holy 7
Continency, the gift of 18
INDEX OF MATTERS, NAMES, AND PHRASES.
39
PACiR
Conventicles 10
Council, a free General, desired 11
" of Carthar/c, fourth 0
" of Chalcedon 20
Councils, the lour first General, to
be received by a
Catholic 5
" " admitted by the
Church of Eng
land 20
Creeds, the three, to be received by
a Catholic 5
Cup, withholding of, a diminution
of the Sacrament 33
CYPRIAN, ST., value of his testi
mony 21
Dead, Prayer for the 27, 28
" Defender of the Faith," a royal
title 2
Dissemblers 10
Doctrine, antiquity of 10
" sincerity of, essential 7
" saving, but one 6
" to be drawn out of Scrip
ture, and agreeable to
the ancient faith 33
" wholsome, what 33
Donatists (5, 8, 10,12
" how reclaimed 12
DURANDUS quoted by Bishop AN-
DREWES 26
Eastern Churches not free from de
generacy 34
Elements, change of in the Euchar
ist 25
Empire and Church, relations of, as
regards unity 8,9
" of the Bishops of Rome,
contended for 23
England, Church of, claims to be
truly Catholic
4-6, 28, 35
" " does not contend
about words. .25, 26
" " discountenances
Prayer for the
dead 27,28
" holds Romish in-
vocation of
PAGE
saints to be in- -
jurious in the
extreme 30
EriPiiANius on the use of Scripture
in the vernacular 31
Eucharkt, celebration of the, with
out communicants .... 26
diminution of, by with
holding the cup 32
mystery of the 24, 26
" Greek views of, differ
from the Roman 35
EUSP:BIUS quoted, as to the use of
unknown tongues by
Valentiuian heretics. . 32
Exactions of Rome 12
Faith and doctrine, union of
Churches in 6
" as distinct from opinion 22
" depends on Scripture only.. . 22
" the ancient, held fast by
King James 4
Fathers, private opinions of 17
" language of, concerning the
Eucharist 25
" how to be used 22
" of the Church, did things
by way of condescen
sion 6
Flagellation as penance 14
Fourth century, estimate of. 20
" " in vocations of saints
in, evidences of
decay 30
French translations of the Bible. . . 32
Fundamentals 13
GALEN on the limits of science 24
GORDON, Dean of Salisbury 34
Grace not bound to the means 16
Greek fathers on the Eucharist 26
" views of the Eucharist differ .
from the Roman 35
GREGORY NAZIANZENE on the Pri
macy in the
Church 33
" quoted 7,24
Heresy made out of desire to read
Scripture, by Roman
ists 32
4o
INDEX OF MATTERS, NAMES, AND PHRASES.
Heretics and Schismatics 6,8
Homilies of the fathers, appeal to
Scripture in 31
Hours of our Lady 29
Images, use arid adoration of. 32
Indices Librorum prohibitorum 31
Indulgences, doctrine of 33
Infant Baptism 16
" Communion 17
INNOCENT I., Pope, on infant com
munion 17
Intensive pains in Purgatory 33
Interpreters, of the primitive Church 31
Invocation of saints 28
JAMES, KING, avouches the apos
tles' teaching and Cath
olic practice of it, as the
only standard 35
" claims the names ' Catho
lic ' and ' Christian '. . . 4
" his thesis of Catholicity 5
" his estimate of the title
"Defender of the
Faith" 2
" willing to own a Primacy
of order as in the early
Church 33
" his Apology, how oppugned 2
" his Monitory Epistle... .20, 27, 33
" his disposition to agreement
in matters of religion.. 2
" his doings in relation to the
book of VORSTIUS de
Deo 3
" pleased with PERRON'S first
letter 1
Jesuits in a conspiracy to establish
the omnipotence of the
Pope , 34
Trapsed, how treated 8
Lay Baptism 17
Legends, superstitious 29
Lichfield, Bishop of. consulted with,
about Vorstius' book. . 3
Liters formatfe 8
Liturgies, Ancient, Roman Mass
contrary to 35
Liturgy of the English Church 23
" not justly reprehensible. ... 31
Liturgy Roman, repugnant to the
Word of God and an
cient Catholic faith. . . 31
Magistrates stirred up to repress
false doctrine 3
Manichees 6
MARK of Ephesus on the Roman
Mass 35
Marriage, reasons for 17, 18
Martyrs, prayers at their sepulchres 30
Masses for the dead 27
Milk of our Lady 32
Monitory Epistle of King James. .20, 23
" quoted 27
Muscovite Church no necessary
model of reform 35
Mysteries .23, 25, 26
Xames, strife about, not always im
material 4
Necessary observances distinguished
from merely profitable
or lawful 27,28,30
Necessity, divers kinds of. 15
Nicene Council 25
Non-communicant celebration 12, 26
Notes of the Church 6, 9, 10, 18
Observances, necessary and profit
able or lawful, distinguished. .
27, 28, 30
Observation first, of PERRON on
King James's thesis. . 5
second 13
" third 15
" fourth 19
fifth 21
Oecumenical Bishop, what 8
Offices of Saints, superstitious inven
tions 29
Opinions of the true Catholic Church
maintained by King
James 4
" of the Schools 30
Papal claims, as put by PERRON,
compared with Roman
procedures for some
centuries past 33
Patriarchs, the other, claimed as
consentient with Rome 34
Peace among dissenting members
INDEX OF MATTERS, NAMES, AND PHRASES.
of the Church desira
ble 2
Peace, how to be studied and fol
lowed 6, 16
PEKRON, Card., his first letter ap
proved 1
" thought moderate 1 , 27
" to hold out
hopes of an agreement
with King James 2
*' in his first letter questioned
the claim of King
James to the name
"Catholic" 4
" his observations on King
James's definition of
Catholicity — the first,
p. 5 ; the second, p. 13 ;
the third, p. 15 ; the
fourth, p. 19; the fifth 21
" his question about Catholi
city stated 5
" on the primacy of the Pope 33
Pius II., Pope, on single life of the
cllrgy 16
Pontifician priest 32
Pope, pre-eminency of the 33
Pope, the, maintains things repug
nant to the Word of
God and the ancient
Catholic faith 31
Popes, order French translations of
the Bible to be taken
from the people 32
Prayer for the dead 27
" in unknown tongues 32
Prayers of the saints 30
" vain repetitions in 33
Preaching, Roman abuses in 32, 33
Presence, real 23, 24, 25
Primacy of Rome, what may be ad
mitted 33,34
Primitive Church does not sanction
Romish invocations of
saints 29,30
" practice and tenet, value
of 20
Private Masses 26, 32
Psalms, vain repetitions of 33
Psalter of the Virgin 29
Purgatory 27, 33, 35
Iteal presence 23, 24, 25
Reconciliation made hopeless by
Papist methods of con
troversy 35
Reformation of the Church 11
true 34
Relics, adoration of, and abuses con
cerning 32
Roman abuse of images 32
" abuses in preaching 32, 33
" Bishops, pretensions of, as
acted out 33
" Catechism cautions against
abuse of images 32
" Church, new devices of, de
formations of the Cath
olic faith 11
" defences of the temporal
power of the Popes. . . 34
" doctrine not in all points
supported by the other
Patriarchates 35
" Mass, contrary to Scripture
and the Ancient Lit
urgies 35
" persistence in error 28
" servitude, cruel 12
" translations of Scripture in
vulgar tongues 31, 32
Rome, Church of, deadly sick of su
perstitions 29
" departure from, no revolt
from the Catholic
Church 11
Rosarv 33
Russian Church, no model 35
Sacrament, diminution of that of
the Eucharist 32
Sacrifice, one Christian, of com
memoration 26
" doub'.e, of expiation and of
commemoration 27
" in the Eucharist, perverse
doctrine of. 26
" express mention of, in Eng
lish Liturgy 27
Saints, invocation of 28, 29
INDEX OF MATTERS, NAMES, AND PHRASES.
Saints, invocation of, growth of the
practice 30
Salvation, things needful to 15
Satisfaction, so-called 14
Scripture, the fountain of all true
doctrine 10
" always appealed to by the
fathers 22
Scriptures, the, among books pro
hibited in the Roman
catalogues 31
" translation of, in the An
cient Church 31
Secrecy in confession 13
Sects, claiming to be the Church... . 10
Separation of England from Rome,
not schism 12
" when necessary 7
Services of saints, superstition in.. . 29
Spiritual manducation 26
Succession of bishops 11
of doctrine 11
Supper of the Lord makes us really
partakers of the Body
and Blood of Christ. . . 26
Supremacy, Papal, disavowed in
word, persistently used
in action 33
Tears of Christ
Temporal power of the Pope 34
TERTULLIAN, on baptism 17
Theology and science 24
Tongue, unknown, use of, in wor
ship 31
Transelementation 25
Transmutation 25
Tran substantiation 25
Trent, Council of, confesses abuse
in use of images 32
Tridentine fathers 19
Truth better than unity 7
Union, bond of, agreement in wor
ship 30
" of the Churches in Christ.. 6
Unknown tongue, prayers in, held
to be more efficacious 32
" " use of, in worship 31
Valentinian heretics 32
Viaticum 25
VINCENT of Lerins, his criterion. . . 20
Virgin, the blessed, made the media
trix of indulgence and
mercy, in the Roman
system 29
" " memorial days of. 29
VORSTIUS on the Nature of God 3
Vows 18
Vulgar translations of Scripture
among Romanists 31
Word of God, a note of the Church 10
BX CASAUBON
5136 ANGLICAN CATH-
,C3 OLICITY VINDICATED
1875 AGAINST ROMAN
INNOVATIONS 111689
,C3
IS75
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